[hellinahandcart]

The fact remains that Kuwait has an elected parliament and is even poised to give women the vote someday soon (the measure was defeated only narrowly last time it came up).

That puts them at least five or six centuries ahead of most other Middle Eastern nations, in terms of development and human rights.

The presence of a monarch does not necessarily imply the absence of democracy.

[dsutah]

Really! Good point! It wasn't for us then, it still isn't. But if people want a monarchy, they should have it. I would hope it would be more of a constitutional monarchy though! Not all republics are good ones like ours is. Some are dictatorships or tyrannical monarchys with a democratic mask on!

[Stultis]

The fact remains that Kuwait has an elected parliament and is even poised to give women the vote someday soon (the measure was defeated only narrowly last time it came up).

That puts them at least five or six centuries ahead of most other Middle Eastern nations, in terms of development and human rights.

More info from msg #23 in the following thread, where I was responding to a similar sneer by Tim Robbins (how do you like that association, Fishing-guy!):

Donahue 12/16/02 (America Hating Appeasers on Parade: Sarandon, Robbins, Peck)

Three parliamentary elections have been held in Kuwait since the Gulf War, with the next elections scheduled for 2003:

Democratization in Kuwait

During Iraq's 1990-91 occupation of Kuwait, Kuwaiti opposition leaders met with the Government in an extraordinary meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to decide who was the legitimate government in exile. They emerged with a pledge to support the Amir and the Crown Prince as the legitimate representatives of the Kuwaiti people. The Amir in turn pledged to hold elections and to restore parliamentary democracy. In 1992, the Amir fulfilled his promise by holding elections in October. The first session of the reconvened Assembly ran its course, and elections were held again in 1996. Under normal circumstances, the Assembly would have stood for election again in October of 2000, but on May 4, 1999 the Amir once again dissolved the Parliament. This time, however, the dissolution followed constitutional guidelines, and early elections were scheduled for July 3.

See also:

CNN Election Watch - Kuwait

Kuwait elections go online (BBC 1 July 1999)

New Kuwait Cabinet Passes Sweeping Reforms (Womens Vote, Open Economy '99)

(American) Muslim Women's League article about Kuwaiti Emir's decree enfranchising women ('99)

Kuwaiti legislature says 'no' to women's vote

NOTE that all decrees by the executive (Emir & Primeminister) must be approved by the Parliament, which can also introduce legislation. The measure to allow women to vote and hold office was defeated by only two votes.

Women Win Right to Challenge Discriminatory Electoral Law (Amnesty Intl 2 June 2000)

Kuwait's women fighting for right to vote 13 July 2001

Court challenge failed on a technicality, but the movement for feminine enfranchisement struggles on