Kuwait: Women Denied Right to Vote

Women in Kuwait will retain their second-class status after Islamist legislators blocked a plan to let them vote. Reformers had been optimistic, but conservative Muslims had their way and it's not clear if or when a new vote on the issue will occur.

The Independent reports:

Those abstaining included Islamist and tribal conservatives who are trying to avoid angering the government, which supports the measure, by voting "no" and to avoid angering constituents by voting "yes". ... Only 15 per cent of Kuwait's 950,000-plus citizens are eligible to vote in the elections. If women over 21 are allowed to register, that number could rise to 38.9 per cent, Al-Shall Economic Consultants estimates.

Isn't Kuwait one of those countries whose democracy American soldiers are supposed to be fighting for? Has the Bush administration even said anything about this?

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