Kuwait Has No Shortage of Experts... Only a Lack of Faith in Them
The greatest danger a state may face is not the absence of information, but receiving it from only one perspective. When sources of opinion become homogenous and independent assessments do not have sufficient space, decisions may appear coherent and strong, while certain risks remain outside the field of vision.
For this reason, independent think tanks are not a cultural luxury or merely a facade for conferences; they are an integral part of the state’s early warning system. Their function is to test prevailing assumptions, raise uncomfortable questions, and develop scenarios that may not find a place within executive institutions preoccupied with managing the daily and urgent.
Modern states build their decisions through a system that generates ideas, circulates them, filters them, and compares alternatives before moving to implementation. In a world characterized by high volatility and complexity, no official, regardless of their experience, can single-handedly grasp all variables. Hence arises the need for institutions whose role is systematic thinking, not defending existing decisions or merely echoing the mainstream.
International Relations
Arabs and the Peoples of the Middle East
Newspaper Classified Ads
The independence of a think tank does not imply hostility toward the state, but rather the ability to serve it honestly. Listening to an independent think tank is akin to obtaining a second opinion on a fateful matter; it may confirm the decision-maker’s assessment, reveal a gap in it, or prompt a review of assumptions previously taken for granted. In all cases, it provides a broader foundation for decision-making and valuable time to prepare before possibilities turn into facts.
Ironically, countries more politically closed than Kuwait recognize the importance of such spaces. Despite known restrictions on the public sphere, Iran possesses a wide network of political and strategic studies centers; some are affiliated with state institutions, while others operate within universities or with a margin of independence. They invest in studying the future and scenarios because they understand that narrowing the scope of debate does not eliminate risks, and that state management always requires multiple perspectives.
This role is not merely theoretical; it can be practiced even with limited resources. In 2020 and 2021, we hosted international expert Scott Crenshaw at the Reconnaissance Center, published an extensive interview with him, and organized a specialized panel discussion on drone threats and ways to counter them. Among the points raised at that time was the importance of early assessment and building multi-layered protection systems for critical infrastructure; subsequent developments in the region have proven the importance of preparing for such issues.
We mention this experience not to claim precedence or take credit. The true value of think tanks lies not in saying after a crisis, “We warned you,” but in contributing, alongside other institutions and national expertise, to expanding the decision-maker’s options and reducing the likelihood of surprises before they occur.
Kuwait is not lacking in experts or competencies. What it needs is to entrench a culture that views independent opinion as a national resource that enriches decision-making, rather than a burden on it; the broader the space for thought, the greater the state’s capacity to prepare, and the smaller the room for surprises.
