The Origin of the Iraq Crisis
The present crisis with Iraq actually began with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Why Kuwait? Is it naked aggression or a simmering problem between the two countries. The following is the
historical background of the problems between the two countries.
Historical background
The territorial dispute between Iraq and Kuwait had continued for half a century before the United Nations intervened to settle the issue in the wake of Iraq's occupation of Kuwait during the late summer of 1990 and the removal of Iraqi forces from the emirate during the following winter.
Ever since Britain (on behalf of Kuwait) submitted its first detailed proposal to Iraq for the demarcation of the vaguely-defined 1932 land boundary, successive Baghdad governments have tended to insist that Kuwait must first concede its ownership of the islands of Warba and Bubiyan to varying degrees if it wanted a demarcated land boundary. Concessions were needed over the islands, or so it was argued, so that Iraq might improve its meagre access to Gulf waters and exercise full control over the navigational approaches to the Khor Zubair, on which it has consistently striven to construct an alternative dry-cargo port to Basra. The foundation stone for the modern Iraq port of Umm Qasr was eventually laid in 1961.
Just as consistently during the same period, Kuwait has argued that Iraq would need to agree to and implement demarcation of the land boundary before it would even consider making any concessions over the islands, and even then it was only the possible lease of Warba that was on the agenda. Despite the suggestion of various initiatives over the years, the dispute was never freed from this deadlocked pattern, notwithstanding Iraq's commitment in an agreement with Kuwait of October 1963 to formally recognise the independence of Kuwait within its boundaries (i.e., the vague ones of 1932) for the first time since Iraqi independence late during 1932.
As a result of Iraq's disastrous move on Kuwait during 1990, the impasse of the border was broken in the following manner. The United Nations would oblige both Iraq and Kuwait to recognise the existing border. Kuwait's long-standing desire for the demarcation of the existing boundary with its northern Arab neighbour has finally been satisfied, albeit at a terrible cost, without the old Iraqi precondition of a trade-off on the islands issue having had to be made.
When presenting the final report of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission to the Security Council in May 1993, the UN Secretary-General expressed the belief that settlement and demarcation of this troublesome territorial limit would have 'a beneficial effect on the restoration of international peace and security in the area concerned...' However, the problem which remains for Iraq is that which has persisted for the last six decades - to reconcile itself to its minuscule shoreline on the Gulf and to rid itself of its persistent negative consciousness concerning this disadvantageous geographical position.
For the future security of the northern Gulf it is ultimately much more important that Iraq loses this negative consciousness than merely achieves demarcated boundaries with Kuwait.
Recent events as well as the historical record suggest that the last may not have been heard of Iraq-Kuwait territorial disputes. This appears to be the first time on record that the United Nations has intervened to impose a territorial settlement between member states. Presumably at some point the United Nations peacekeeping force currently deployed along the border will depart and responsibility for the management of the borderlands will return to the two governments on either side of the political divide. Perhaps only at that point will we begin to learn whether Iraq can live with its limited access to the Gulf and whether its historical restlessness over this question has been calmed.
The Origin of the Iraq Crisis
The present crisis with Iraq actually began with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Why Kuwait? Is it naked aggression or a simmering problem between the two countries. The following is the
historical background of the problems between the two countries.
Historical background
The territorial dispute between Iraq and Kuwait had continued for half a century before the United Nations intervened to settle the issue in the wake of Iraq's occupation of Kuwait during the late summer of 1990 and the removal of Iraqi forces from the emirate during the following winter.
Ever since Britain (on behalf of Kuwait) submitted its first detailed proposal to Iraq for the demarcation of the vaguely-defined 1932 land boundary, successive Baghdad governments have tended to insist that Kuwait must first concede its ownership of the islands of Warba and Bubiyan to varying degrees if it wanted a demarcated land boundary. Concessions were needed over the islands, or so it was argued, so that Iraq might improve its meagre access to Gulf waters and exercise full control over the navigational approaches to the Khor Zubair, on which it has consistently striven to construct an alternative dry-cargo port to Basra. The foundation stone for the modern Iraq port of Umm Qasr was eventually laid in 1961.
Just as consistently during the same period, Kuwait has argued that Iraq would need to agree to and implement demarcation of the land boundary before it would even consider making any concessions over the islands, and even then it was only the possible lease of Warba that was on the agenda. Despite the suggestion of various initiatives over the years, the dispute was never freed from this deadlocked pattern, notwithstanding Iraq's commitment in an agreement with Kuwait of October 1963 to formally recognise the independence of Kuwait within its boundaries (i.e., the vague ones of 1932) for the first time since Iraqi independence late during 1932.
As a result of Iraq's disastrous move on Kuwait during 1990, the impasse of the border was broken in the following manner. The United Nations would oblige both Iraq and Kuwait to recognise the existing border. Kuwait's long-standing desire for the demarcation of the existing boundary with its northern Arab neighbour has finally been satisfied, albeit at a terrible cost, without the old Iraqi precondition of a trade-off on the islands issue having had to be made.
When presenting the final report of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission to the Security Council in May 1993, the UN Secretary-General expressed the belief that settlement and demarcation of this troublesome territorial limit would have 'a beneficial effect on the restoration of international peace and security in the area concerned...' However, the problem which remains for Iraq is that which has persisted for the last six decades - to reconcile itself to its minuscule shoreline on the Gulf and to rid itself of its persistent negative consciousness concerning this disadvantageous geographical position.
For the future security of the northern Gulf it is ultimately much more important that Iraq loses this negative consciousness than merely achieves demarcated boundaries with Kuwait.
Recent events as well as the historical record suggest that the last may not have been heard of Iraq-Kuwait territorial disputes. This appears to be the first time on record that the United Nations has intervened to impose a territorial settlement between member states. Presumably at some point the United Nations peacekeeping force currently deployed along the border will depart and responsibility for the management of the borderlands will return to the two governments on either side of the political divide. Perhaps only at that point will we begin to learn whether Iraq can live with its limited access to the Gulf and whether its historical restlessness over this question has been calmed.
