Abstract

Focusing on the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Hamdi Hassan offers a balanced examination of the motivation of the Iraqi polity and the conditions which accelerated and facilitated the decision to invade.

Critical of the traditional approach of most Middle East studies, The Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait offers a counterpoint to Western interpretations of this key event in the contemporary history of the Middle East.

Hassan examines how Saddam Hussein assessed and responded to American and Israeli intentions after the invasion, the reaction of other Arab states, and the unprecedented grassroots support for the Iraqi leadership. In this context, the author examines the social structure of Iraqi society - families, clans and regional alliances - and the importance of Ba'athism. Hassan also examines the political structure of the country, relating the identity of Arabism - the religion and language which is associated closely with the Pan Arabist ideals - to Iraqi foreign policy.
'If you're not satisfied with the mainstream western press's explanation of Saddam Hussein's behaviour or why he's still in power, then read this book ... A powerful antidote to the uninformed, prejuding drivel that is the standard western media fare'
Spectre
'Compelling ... Hassan has produced a thought-provoking work that speaks equally well to area specialists and international relations theorists'
Millennium
'His careful examination of the Iraqui invasion of Kuwait from the perspective of Arabism is therefore an especially useful contribution to the literature of the invasion.'
Middle Eastern Studies