GULF ONE-PAGE HISTORY by D.R.Morgan, written Jan'91

1600-1914: OTTOMAN TURK EMPIRE: The Arab people who live in what is now Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel & Kuwait were part of the Turkish Empire. This empire which expanded into Europe and in 1683 almost took Vienna, had become stagnant & weak in the 19th Century. The opening of the Suez canal by the British & French (1869) and Germany's Berlin to Baghdad railroad (1903) were important new challenges to the 300 year old Empire. But these European empire builders soon fell to fighting each other in the 1914-1918: GREAT WAR or WORLD WAR 1: Turkey, an ally of Germany was attacked from the S. by the British. Besides holding the Suez Canal, the British had a new & strong interest in the Persian Gulf for their navy, converted from coal to oil in 1913 & now depended on huge oil concessions in Persia (now Iran). Britain attacked the Turks from bases in Egypt & drove N. through Palestine (now Israel). A guerilla war was organized in the desert to the E. by a British officer, Lawrence of Arabia. He helped the tribes to unite to expel the Turks and then build an Arab nation, BUT 1919-following the defeat of Germany & her ally Turkey, Britain & France carved up Turkey's Arab empire. Britain took the E. part & created Iraq, Kuwait & Jordan; Palestine was offered to the Jews (by Balfour). France took the NW corner and created Syria and Lebanon. Arabia to the S. was considered useless desert. Its vast oil potential was unknown. 

1919-1956: BRITISH & FRENCH EMPIRES: Britain controlled Iraq while British, French & American oil Cos secured valuable concessions throughout the country. France in Syria favoured the Christian minority on the coast, but were strongly resisted by the 80% Moslem population. Arab rebellions in 1925-6 were crushed by the French using artillery, tanks & a/c against Damascus. Palestine saw major Arab-Jewish clashes in '29 & '37. Martial law under 30,000 British troops '38, in move to cut Jewish immigration.

1939-1945: WORLD WAR 2: Weakens Britain & France.1946 French troops leave Syria & Lebanon. Britain maintains a strong hold on the Suez Canal and Gulf oil with major bases, but after the Suez Crisis('56) when Nasser of Egypt nationalized the Canal & the conspiracy by France, Britain & Israel to attack Egypt failed through lack of U.S. support, Britain largely withdrew her military from the Middle East.

1956-PRESENT: U.S.A. EMPIRE: Growing U.S. oil assets in the Gulf had been protected by British force since 1919, but in the 50's the U.S. began to take over. In 1951 Dr. Mossadegh elected to power in Iran announced the nationalization of the highly profitable British oil industry. Mossadegh was overthrown in '53 by a C.I.A. engineered coup (run by Norman Schwarzkopf Sr.) Shah Pahlevi, backed by U.S., held power for next 26 years, while Iran became main U.S Cold War base in the Gulf. Under the U.S. puppet Shah: "Iran had the highest rate of death penalties in the world, no valid system of civilian courts & a history of torture which is beyond belief."(Martin Ennals, Sec.Gen.Amnesty Interntl.) 1958:Iraq's pro-western govt.ousted by army under Kassim; Oil industry is  nationalized. 1961: Kuwait, an oil rich sheikdom protected by the British, who drew its borders, is given independance by the British. 1968:Saddam Hussein seizes power in Iraq.1979:16 Jan: Shah flies from Iran after defeat by the one power that he & U.S.could not crush: the Moslem Mullahs led by Ayatollah Khomeini. 04 Nov: Teheran:US Embassy in its 22 acre grounds seized; 46 hostages taken. No U.S./British base in Gulf for first time in 65 years. 1980 Sept 22: IRAQ attacks IRAN with the later revealed support of USA, Britain & USSR. Over one million killed in this war. No UN action. 1988 Aug: Ceasefire, patrolled by UN (including Canadian) troops. 1990 Aug 2: Iraq seizes Kuwait. Aug 6: Major US troop move to Gulf. 1991 16 Jan: Desert Storm US/British forces return to the Gulf.

Source:

Veterans Against Nuclear Arms, David Morgan, VANA National President

Email: dmorgan@web.net