Bedouinization in Kuwait

Amir Taheri has an opinion piece in Gulf News discussing the rising political power in Kuwait of the Bedouin, who tend to oppose both the modernizing liberal and Islamist factions of the cities. It struck me as interesting because we've seen something similar in Iraq, where Iraqi tribes have been both a cornerstone of resistance in the Sunni triangle and defenders of moderate cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani when the Sadriyun went after him in April. However, I'm not sure it actually represents a broad regional trend, because in terms of sheer numbers only in what is essentially a small city-state like Kuwait could they decisively influence any elections.