Jassem Saadoun, a Kuwaiti economist, observes that in the past, higher oil revenues have reduced pressure on governments to push through badly-needed reforms.

ECONOMIST: A high oil price will delay reforms

Fahd Jassem al-Freij responded to questions on why Syria wasn't retaliating against Israel by saying the strike was itself a retaliation after Israel's rebel proxies in Syria were repulsed by the Syrian army.

WSJ: Israel Indicates It Struck Syria Last Week

On Wednesday morning, Mr Barrak's lawyer, Mohammed Abdul Qader al-Jassem, told the AFP news agency that the public prosecutor had ordered his client to be remanded in custody pending investigation and transferred him to the central prison.

BBC: Kuwait: Ex-MP Mussallam al-Barrak freed on bail

Major General ABEDEL AZIZ MOHAMMED JASSEM (Iraqi Defense Ministry): (Through translator) It's a security plan in which we are deploying all of our forces, army, police, coalition forces, in an intensive way, especially concentrating on selected trouble spots.

NPR: Iraqi Leader Sets Strategy for Easing Violence

Mr Jassem, who is also an opposition activist, was himself accused by the Kuwaiti foreign ministry of "unacceptable interference" after he wrote a blog on Tuesday telling Saudi Arabia and the UAE to stay out of his country's affairs.

BBC: Kuwait: Ex-MP Mussallam al-Barrak freed on bail

On July 25th, Qatar announced that Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Hamad al-Thani, cousin of the ruling emir, former economy minister and former police chief, had been arrested (snatched back, it is thought, from a hiding-place abroad) and would face trial immediately.

ECONOMIST: Royal jigsaw in Qatar

Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal, who in December became one of the most senior Syrian army officers to defect, told The Associated Press by telephone from Turkey that the site they said was targeted is a "major and well-known" center to develop weapons known as the Scientific Research Center.

NPR: Syria Threatens Retaliation For Israeli Airstrike