The Amiri Speech … and ‘Flaming August’

THE month of August is considered as the hottest month of the year by the general population of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and the Gulf in general. That is why the Lebanese and Iraqis refer to it as “Flaming August” because the sun sheds its burning rays vertically on their heads.

On the other hand, the second half of this month is said to be “the Opening Door for Winter”. This is because Canopus, which is the second brightest star in our galaxy, appears during the last five days of the month.

In the region, there is a proverb - “When the Canopus lashes, you will harvest dates at night”.

We, in today’s Kuwait, especially after the historic Amiri speech delivered by His Highness the Crown Prince, we have entered what seems like “Flaming August”.

The theme of the first half of the speech was anger and fury at the state of the country due to the practices of the executive and legislative bodies in recent years, the government and parliamentary abuse, and the practices of the deep state that corrupted the land, looted public money, undermined institutions, and altered appointments for its own interests.

Ministers were chosen and later dismissed if they did not operate as per what the deep state wanted. Undersecretaries, directors and even ordinary employees were appointed in such a manner that it made all institutions seem more like their own private companies.

The theme of the second half of the speech was “Red Eye”, which is a road map for solving the problems that the two authorities - the legislative and executive - suffer from. This is considered as mercy with the hope of the Canopus to lash if everyone assumes his responsibilities, and returns to their senses.

Therefore, after the Amiri speech, things began to unfold regarding the evils committed by the deep state. With the start of the remedial measures, those responsible for these evils have started falling as many cases emerge, while others are being thrown under the bus.

Previously, they did not learn from the immortal saying - “If it lasted for others, it would not have reached you”, as they believed that their positions in the state’s domains was eternal, and that there will not come a day when they would find a hole to hide to escape their transgressions.

There is a lot of optimism among Kuwaitis today that the “Flaming August” will burn many faces that prospered because of corruption, which they sought to turn into an endemic disease in the country that cannot be cured.

However, they made a great mistake, after the insistence of the political leadership to get out of this impasse, which was about to blow up the state, and make it a failure par excellence, similar to a state where tribalism, partisan and militias dominate, where security is absent, and strife is burning everywhere.

After the “Flaming August” storm that began to clean up all the rot that pervaded the country, a new dawn will appear in the second half of the historical speech when the door for the winter breeze will open, and the country and institutions return to their full health.

However, all this depends on the extent of the seriousness of the new executive authority and its ability to implement the “Amiri Road Map”.