War in the Gulf, 1990-91

The authors of this volume contend that the American characterization of the war in the Gulf is over-simplified and one-dimensional, lacking in context and nuance. They offer an opposing portrait of the conflict, seeking to provide background information and distinguish the differences between Iraq and Kuwait in terms of frontiers, territory and sovereignty, and the methods pursued by Iraqi leaders to resolve those differences. They explore the history of relations between Iraq and Kuwait, revealing that Kuwait had once been part of Basra (in southern Iraq) during Ottoman rule, and only became a separate country while under British control - they demonstrate that it was the British who drew the much-disputed boundary line between Iraq and Kuwait. Khadduri and Ghareeb describe the decades of struggle to resolve the boundary issue, examining the repeated attempts by other Arab states to mediate according to Islamic traditions of consultation and peaceful resolution within the faith, but also showing how Saddam Hussein's war with Iran exacerbated the boundary tensions. The book follows the conflict through to the present, exploring the war and its aftermath, from the uprisings against Baghdad, to the continuing UN sanctions and the recent defections from Saddam's inner circle. Accounting for one of the central events of recent years, the authors seek to explain the frame of mind of the participants and examine anew such questions as who was responsible for the conflict and what might have happened had the USA not intervened so rapidly.