And he was rewarded at the spoils!
The pre-Islamic poet Antarah says, “He who witnessed the battle will tell you that I charge into the fray and restrain myself from the spoils, so I see opportunities that, if I wished, I could seize, but honor and nobility hold me back.” It is lamentable that ethics in Kuwait have changed since the market disaster of the 1980s, continuing until May 10, 2024, when the National Assembly was dissolved. The slogans raised by some transgressors and deviants were: “A dinar you have is worth a dinar,” and “Whoever does not steal from the public office they hold will eventually steal the ‘haram’ wealth of their own children.” Thus, some of these individuals saw nothing wrong with the invasion except that it deprived them of continuing to plunder public funds—nothing more!
***
I was a first-class passenger on the first flight to arrive in Kuwait days after its liberation. Through the window, we saw burning oil wells and smoke covering the land and sky, so much so that the plane could not land until after several attempts. Myself and most of the passengers were weeping and sobbing over the tragedies befalling our homeland. At that time, a very few people were preoccupied, away from what was happening outside the plane, discussing various deals. This laid the groundwork for all subsequent evils and transgressions—the common denominator of thefts, encroachments on public funds, hindering development, and intimidating officials. It established that every parliamentary inquiry has a price and that a vote of no confidence has a cost. Worse still, this materialistic mindset and the prioritization of private interest over Kuwait’s national interest have led some to devalue the country’s higher interests, forge diplomas and certificates, and show no shame in displaying allegiance and loyalty to the highest bidder. The present and future challenge lies in how to change this destructive culture and then severely punish those who propagate it, by fostering a new culture that places the nation’s interest, love for it, and readiness to defend it with one’s life, wealth, and family above all else. Only in this way do homelands endure and persist...
***
The final point:
1. By God’s grace and with the confidence of senior officials, I held several high-ranking positions, including advisor, minister, and chairman of the board of state-owned companies. I left them as I entered them—clean-handed. Unlike some, who unfortunately managed to hold even one of these high offices and amassed enormous wealth despite the existence of dozens of oversight bodies and, more importantly, the cries of “the theft of the century,” “the theft of the era,” and “a trumpet that fears nothing,” which paralyzed all public and private projects benefiting Kuwait and its people. Yet, not even a single person who serves coffee and tea could be accused of those alleged major thefts?
2. Is it credible to believe those cries from those whom the Constitution granted absolute authority to ask mandatory parliamentary questions, conduct inquiries, propose votes of no confidence, and refer cases to the prosecution? These actions were only taken after they had left office and the Assembly had ceased functioning. Were they holding people accountable, or were they instead covering up for transgressors? Is it conceivable that they did not notice the accumulation of vast wealth by these officials, some of whom remained in their positions and continued their transgressions for decades? Or was the issue really “the eye is shy of what feeds the mouth,” and “if your eye loves you, time will not blame you”? The only thefts and transgressions that are rejected are those of others who do not comply with our requests. As for those who listen, obey, and include us in their schemes, there is no fear nor reproach against them, even if they openly display their public thefts—on beauty, elephants, and aircraft carriers!
