Kuwait in Suspended Animation

The emir has just put parliament and the constitution on the backburner, but for what purpose?Kuwait has long been characterized by vigorous domestic political debate, with frequent parliamentary elections and fractious politics. For many years this fascinated me. I would joke that, on any given day, Kuwaiti newspapers could carry the headline “Political Deadlock Continues,” as parliamentarians squared off against one other, ministers were hauled in for formal interrogation before parliament, and momentous political issues were noisily debated. Ultimately, however, few decisions of note were made. I gradually lost interest in tracking day-to-day developments, as the joke had grown old and nothing seemed to change.