The Iraqi Occupation of Kuwait: A Gateway to Evil in Our Arab Region
Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, was a criminal and reckless act committed by dictator Saddam Hussein. As history demonstrates, totalitarian dictatorial regimes invariably generate complex, multifaceted problems, accompanied by human suffering and long-term instability.
During the Iran–Iraq War, we understand that Arabs were compelled to side with Iraq against Iran’s reckless project of forcibly exporting the Khomeini Revolution into our Arab environment, which is unsuitable for the growth of such ideas. The war ended after lasting eight years, costing both sides heavily in lives and resources that could have been better used to provide decent livelihoods for Arab and Iranian peoples rather than fueling conflict. What remains incomprehensible, however, is that dictator Saddam did not consider dedicating himself to rebuilding Iraq after his war with Iran. Instead, he chose to occupy Kuwait, directly plunging into confrontation with the world after having already been engaged in a military standoff with Iran, thereby losing Arab support, except from a few weightless dictatorial Arab regimes.
Dictator Saddam gained nothing from his occupation of Kuwait except further destruction of Iraq and its army. By forcibly turning Iraq into a pariah state before the world, he provided justification for the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq under the pretext of possessing weapons of mass destruction and his reckless behavior in violating international law and defying the international community, which had lost confidence in him.
It is no secret that one of the consequences of Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait, following the US invasion of Iraq, was that America effectively handed Iraq over to Iran. This occurred through close understanding between Iran and the US before and after the invasion, similar to what happened during the US invasion of Afghanistan, where Iranian influence expanded in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran also extended its influence in Syria, with its affiliated armed militias supporting the repressive Alawite Assad regime in its war against the Syrian people, who were demanding reform. This involvement resulted in the killing and displacement of millions of Arabs in Syria and the destruction of its cities, serving as clear evidence of the concept of exporting the Khomeini Revolution in our Arab region.
Saddam failed to become a heroic Arab leader at the expense of Kuwait. He succeeded only in weakening and ruining our Arab region, exposing it to its enemies, namely Zionists and Iran. Iran will not succeed in exporting its revolution in our Arab region, nor will it fare better than the Saddami regime, unless it abandons the illusions of exporting its destructive revolution and embraces peaceful coexistence with our Arab and Gulf peoples.
