In the months before Operation Desert Storm both Saddam Hussein and King Hussein of Jordan began refering to Saudi Arabia as "Najd and Al-Hejaz."
SA is divided into six regions. Najd is the central region, from which the house of Saud rose to power. Al-Hejaz is the Red Sea coast and mountains, where Medina and Mecca reside. An-Nafud is the northern desert, including part of the oil fields. Al-Hasa is the Persian Sea coast, also including part of the oil fields (and Kuwait, btw). 2 other regions lie to the south.
King Hussein's grandfather ruled (under Turk authority) territory that included Palestine and Al-Hejaz. King Faisal conquered An-Nafud, Al-Hasa, and Al-Hejaz from the Turks. The British carved Kuwait out of Al-Hasa to split the oil fields into three parts and limit Saudi and Iraqi power.
I don't know how many other NME rulers were secretly hoping for a major rearrangement of things, but when Jordan and Iraq were calling the Saudis "Najd and Al-Hejaz" they were signalling that they considered Al-Hasa and An-Nafud up for grabs. (Yes, Jordan borders on An-Nafud.)
So don't think Bush was the only one sending signals that Saddam could interpret how he wished, or messages that rebels outside Mesopotamia could interpret as support for immediate action.
SA is divided into six regions. Najd is the central region, from which the house of Saud rose to power. Al-Hejaz is the Red Sea coast and mountains, where Medina and Mecca reside. An-Nafud is the northern desert, including part of the oil fields. Al-Hasa is the Persian Sea coast, also including part of the oil fields (and Kuwait, btw). 2 other regions lie to the south.
King Hussein's grandfather ruled (under Turk authority) territory that included Palestine and Al-Hejaz. King Faisal conquered An-Nafud, Al-Hasa, and Al-Hejaz from the Turks. The British carved Kuwait out of Al-Hasa to split the oil fields into three parts and limit Saudi and Iraqi power.
I don't know how many other NME rulers were secretly hoping for a major rearrangement of things, but when Jordan and Iraq were calling the Saudis "Najd and Al-Hejaz" they were signalling that they considered Al-Hasa and An-Nafud up for grabs. (Yes, Jordan borders on An-Nafud.)
So don't think Bush was the only one sending signals that Saddam could interpret how he wished, or messages that rebels outside Mesopotamia could interpret as support for immediate action.
Comment