SEQ : Causes of Conflict between Iraq and Kuwait.

How far is dispute over territory a cause for the conflict between Iraq and Kuwait? Explain your answer. [12]

Iraq invaded Kuwait on 2 August 1990, claiming that revolutionaries in Kuwait had asked Iraq for help. The invasion was a success for Iraq. There are several causes for this conflict between Iraq and Kuwait.

One of the causes of the conflict between Iraq and Kuwait was the claim over the Bubiyan annd Warbah Islands. These islands belonged to Kuwait, but Iraq
wanted these islands as it would help Iraq gain access to the Persian Gulf. The Iraqis even attempted to claim ownership of the islands through force in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 1978, Iraq had even tried to lease these territories. Kuwait’s refusal to grant this request worsened the relationship between both sides as Iraq saw Kuwait’s refusal as an attack on its national interest.

Another territorial dispute was over a profitable oilfield, the Rumaila oilfield. In 1990, Iraq accused Kuwait of stealing oil by drilling oil from the Iraqi side using slant-drilling technology. Kuwait insisted that they had taken the oil only from their side of the oil field. When Kuwait refused to pay compensation and to stop the drilling, Iraq felt that Kuwait was unreasonable, therefore dispute over these two territory issues caused the conflict between Irague and Kuwait.

However, the historical enmity that existed between both sides was another cause for the conflict. Iraq had all along considered Kuwait as part of it. As such Iraq expected Kuwait to give in to its demands. Kuwait’s refusal to give in to Iraq resulted in shock and anger. As a result, Iraq was even more aggressive in trying to force Kuwait to give in to their demands. The result was a worsening of the relationship between the two as Kuwait might have seen the Iraqi actions as bullying. Therefore, the worsening relationship between these two countries contributed to the conflict.

The final causes for the conflict was the over-production of oil by Kuwait. Due to the Iraq-Iran War, Iraq faced immense debts from the war and the problems with rebuilding the country. Sale of oil was a solution to the debt and the problems of rebuilding the country. Yet, Kuwait had increased its oil production, causing a drastic fall in oil prices. Thus, Iraq lost a lot of revenue due to the fall in oil prices. Iraq was upset of Kuwait’s actions and saw it as an economic war on Iraq. Thus this led to an outbreak of war.

The territorial dispute over territory was a necessary but insufficient causes for the conflict between Iraq and Kuwait. This is because territory dispute had been going on for a long time and it did not result in the invasion of Kuwait.

Similarly the historical enmity that exist has been going on for a long time and did not trigger the conflict.

Instead, the most significant cause could be the over-production of oil because it resulted in worsening economic problems for Iraq. Compared to the loss of revenue from fall in oil prices, the territorial dispute and the historical enmity were not so threatening to Iraq’s survival at that time.

Thus the territorial dispute was to a small extent a cause for the conflict. The main cause for the conflict was the over production of oil which caused Iraq to lost a lot of revenue and it saw the only way to solve it problem was to invade Kuwait. The overproduction of oil was the trigger that caused the conflict between Iraq and Kuwait.


Note from the ess. Look at the sentences that has been underlined. These are the explanation statements. And notice that I am always linking back to the issue

Issue :
The conflict between Iraq and Kuwait. \

Given Factor

• The given factor was territorial dispute

The alternative factors

• historical enmity and
• over production of oil.

Rank order for the causes for the conflict

Main reason: Over production of oil

Secondary reasons: Historical enmity and territorial dispute.

Why? (hint look at the last paragraph)