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This book traces the establishment of the Arab League s little-known first peacekeeping operation (the first non-United Nations, regionally mandated peacekeeping operation after 1945), deployed to Kuwait in 1961-1963. It follows how the Arab League, a loose association of newly independent Arab states with conflicting views on the concepts of Arab nationalism and unity, could work through its many member differences to mandate and deploy the Arab League Security Force (ALSF). The chapters follow a chronological format that provides a review behind the first test of Arab League military coordination during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence and the subsequent development of new parameters for military cooperation. The book reviews British colonial ties with Kuwait and the significance of the latter to post-World War II regional and international politics. Iraq threatened annexation immediately after Kuwaiti independence resulting in failed discussions within the United Nations Security Council and then within the Arab League itself. Chapters trace the details behind the debate in both organizations as well as the issues faced by the Arab League to actually deploy the ALSF and later prevent its breakup after the 1963 Iraqi coup. A valuable read for those researching Middle Eastern history, peacekeeping, and the Arab League, this book sheds light on the geopolitical context that brought about the creation of the ALSF.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction and Background to Preventive Peacekeeping.- Chapter2: Background to the Kuwait Crisis of 1961.- Chapter 3: The Year of Crises: 1958.- Chapter 4: The Road to Kuwaiti Independence and British Military Intervention: 14 July 1958 to 1 July 1961.- Chapter 5: Initial United Nations Review of the Kuwait Crisis: 1-3 July 1961.- Chapter 6: The United Nations Fails to Act: 5-7 July 1961.- Chapter 7: The Arab League: Formation of the Organization and the Development of an Arab Security Paradigm: 1944-1955.- Chapter 8: The Arab League: Initial Deliberations in Kuwait: 11-13 July 1961.- Chapter 9: Continued Arab League Discussion on Kuwait: 20 July 1961.- Chapter 10: Formation and Deployment of the Arab League Security Force: 21 July to 10 October 1961.- Chapter11: Stabilisation, Organisation, and Withdrawal of the Arab League Security Force: 10 October 1961 to 18 February 1963.- 12. Conclusions.
About the author
Terry M. Mays is Professor of Political Science at The Citadel, USA.
Summary
This book traces the establishment of the Arab League’s little-known first peacekeeping operation (the first non-United Nations, regionally mandated peacekeeping operation after 1945), deployed to Kuwait in 1961-1963. It follows how the Arab League, a loose association of newly independent Arab states with conflicting views on the concepts of Arab nationalism and unity, could work through its many member differences to mandate and deploy the Arab League Security Force (ALSF). The chapters follow a chronological format that provides a review behind the first test of Arab League military coordination during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence and the subsequent development of new parameters for military cooperation. The book reviews British colonial ties with Kuwait and the significance of the latter to post-World War II regional and international politics. Iraq threatened annexation immediately after Kuwaiti independence resulting in failed discussions within the United Nations Security Council and then within the Arab League itself. Chapters trace the details behind the debate in both organizations as well as the issues faced by the Arab League to actually deploy the ALSF and later prevent its breakup after the 1963 Iraqi coup. A valuable read for those researching Middle Eastern history, peacekeeping, and the Arab League, this book sheds light on the geopolitical context that brought about the creation of the ALSF.
