Saddam's War of Words: Politics, Religion, and the Iraqi Invasion of KuwaitFrom a Western perspective, the Persian Gulf War of 1990–1991 largely fulfilled the first President Bush’s objective: “In, out, do it, do it right, get gone. That’s the message.” But in the Arab world, the causes and consequences of Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait and his subsequent defeat by a U.S.-led coalition were never so clear-cut. The potent blend of Islam and Arab nationalism that Saddam forged to justify the unjustifiable—his invasion of a Muslim state—gained remarkable support among both Muslims and Arabs and continued to resonate in the Middle East long after the fighting ended. Indeed, as this study argues in passing, it became a significant strand in the tangled web of ideologies and actions that led to the attacks of 9/11. This landmark book offers the first in-depth investigation of how Saddam Hussein used Islam and Arab nationalism to legitimate his invasion of Kuwait in the eyes of fellow Muslims and Arabs, while delegitimating the actions of the U.S.-led coalition and its Arab members. Jerry M. Long addresses three fundamental issues: how extensively and in what specific ways Iraq appealed to Islam during the Kuwait crisis; how elites, Islamists, and the elusive Arab “street,” both in and out of the coalition, responded to that appeal and why they responded as they did; and the longer-term effects that resulted from Saddam’s strategy. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Historical Background and Interarab Politics Prior to the Invasion of Kuwait | 8 |
Historical Background and Interarab Politics after the Invasion of Kuwait | 23 |
Iraq Deep Culture and the Employment of Islam Before the Invasion of Kuwait | 45 |
Fi Sabil Allah Iraq and the Employment of Islam in the Invasion of Kuwait | 81 |
Islam and the Region at War | 139 |
Reflections on Jihad and the Otther Gulf War | 160 |
Closing Reflection The View from the Mountains | 185 |
Notes | 187 |
| 239 | |
| 255 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
added American announcement appeal Arab League Arab nation army attack August Ba'th Ba'thist Baghdad battle believe carried Chapter cited claim coalition concern conference continued course crisis cultural defend described discussion Egypt enemies especially Fahd faith fatwa FBIS forces foreign Gulf Crisis Gulf War helpful holy important included indicated instance interests invasion Iran Iraq Iraq's Iraqi Islamic Islamists Israel issue January Jerusalem jihad king Kurds Kuwait land later leader March means Mecca MECS meeting Middle East military months Muhammad Muslims noted offered Palestinians pan-Arab party peace Persian political position present president Press Quoted Quran reasons reference reflected regime region religion religious reporting response Saddam Hussein Saudi Arabia September Shi'a simply speech statement tion troops turn United Univ West York
Bibliographic information
| Title | Saddam's War of Words: Politics, Religion, and the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait Saddam's War of Words: Politics, Religion, and the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait, Jerry Mark Long |
| Author | Jerry M. Long |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | University of Texas Press, 2004 |
| ISBN | 0292702647, 9780292702646 |
| Length | 272 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Middle East / General History / World Political Science / International Relations / General Political Science / World / Middle Eastern |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |