994
edits
Experience of Kuwait: Difference between revisions
m
no edit summary
Jana Dlouha (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
mNo edit summary |
||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
====Henning Strate==== | ====Henning Strate==== | ||
I would like to respond to question about the experience of Kuwait. | I would like to respond to the question about the experience of Kuwait. | ||
The answer suggests that while being an important trade hub for centuries Kuwait drastically changed due to the discovery and production of crude oil, increasing wealth to new levels and altering life in Kuwait. It also enabled the establishment of a modern state administration. However, the oil reserves and Kuwaiti wealth gave the country a strategic value | The answer suggests that while being an important trade hub for centuries, Kuwait drastically changed due to the discovery and production of crude oil, increasing wealth to new levels and altering life in Kuwait. It also enabled the establishment of a modern state administration. However, the oil reserves and Kuwaiti wealth gave the country a strategic value as a result of which it became a target for the aspirations of its neighbouring countries, especially Iraq (then under the leadership of Saddam Hussein). It then fell victim to Iraqi aggression and pillaging with damage still felt today. | ||
I wonder, though, whether the attack on Kuwait truly | I wonder, though, whether the attack on Kuwait was truly a consequence of its strategic value in a globalised world or due to other reasons. There was once a Roman military writer Vegetius who coined the phrase „He who desires peace, prepares for war.“, and I wonder if the state of Kuwait was simply UNprepared and this became its very undoing? The matter of „War and Peace“ is a question of how much effort a country makes in international relations and defense procurement, or is it not? What do you think? | ||
Monday, 4 January 2010 | Monday, 4 January 2010 | ||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
Dear all, | Dear all, | ||
It was my pleasure to share my experience and experiences with you. I hope I did not discourage you from | It was my pleasure to share my experience and experiences with you. I hope I did not discourage you from future contact with politicians! You yourself have the responsibility. If you are not active in the public arena, others will occupy it! Thank you for your cooperation. | ||
Great MMX! | Great MMX! | ||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
Dear Henning, | Dear Henning, | ||
Even though I was later Ambassador in Kuwait, even though I followed the events of 1990 very closely, and even though I later met with April Glapsie, the truth is that we really do not know | Even though I was later Ambassador in Kuwait, even though I followed the events of 1990 very closely, and even though I later met with April Glapsie, the truth is that we really do not know what really happened. The fact is that Kuwait was drilling into the Rumaila oil field and the fact is that there were tough negotiations going on, and Kuwait did not stop taking oil from Rumaila. The key question of whether April Glaspie gave a wrong signal to Saddam remains open. | ||
So I only quote Wikipedia: | So I can only quote Wikipedia: | ||
By the time the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Iraq_War#Towards_a_ceasefire ceasefire with Iran] was signed in August 1988, Iraq was virtually bankrupt, with most of its debt owed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq pressured both nations to forgive the debts, but they refused. Kuwait was also accused by Iraq of exceeding its OPEC quotas and driving down the price of oil, thus further hurting the Iraqi economy. | By the time the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Iraq_War#Towards_a_ceasefire ceasefire with Iran] was signed in August 1988, Iraq was virtually bankrupt, with most of its debt owed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq pressured both nations to forgive the debts, but they refused. Kuwait was also accused by Iraq of exceeding its OPEC quotas and driving down the price of oil, thus further hurting the Iraqi economy. | ||