Very sensitive, Desert Whine.
He was a decent soul and considering his near neighbours, Kuwait is/was a civilised place under his rule. I lived there for a few months in the early '80s, when my father lectured at the uni there. Happy memories of it.
Hopefully, the new Emir will have a more aggressive approach to growth - along the lines of Dubai and Qatar - than his predecessor. The 1990 invasion has (understandably) left quite a deep psychological effect on the country, to the effect that the confidence hasn't really been there to invest in the country to the extent that Dubai/Qatar have done.
KU certainly needs a sharp pitchfork in the behind to bring it up to the standards and growth ambitions of its regional competitors. Again, confidence probably plays a role in that and hopefully a dynamic leader will provide that.