NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/alt/conspira/14763

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-28 | 3.8 KB

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Path: sparky!uunet!think.com!spool.mu.edu!yale.edu!news.yale.edu!YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu!FRARALH
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: U.S. & Iraq
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (USENET News System)
Nntp-Posting-Host: yalevm.ycc.yale.edu
Organization: Yale University
References: <[e-mail]>    <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 93 20:00:04 EST
Lines: 57

In article <[e-mail]>
[e-mail] (Yannis Schoinas) writes:

>
>[e-mail] (Mason L. Allen) writes:
>
>
>>In article <[e-mail]>
>>[e-mail] (Yannis Schoinas) writes:
>
>>> His claim on Kuwait was a pretty good one, considering the
>>>     artificial creation of most of the arabic countries. Nothing
>>>     really to do with Hitler's claims. I am not saying that a
>>>     panarabic union is politically viable.
>
>>this is like my tenth reply or something to this debate,
>
>>You seem to have a good grasp of history, Yannis (I respect that).
>>True, with the exception of Egypt, virtually every Middle Eastern state
>>which exists now is an "artificial state" created by the withdrawal of
>>the French & British Empires.  Historically, there is NO DIFFERENSE
>>between the people of Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the
>>Palestinians, and whatever.  Before 1917 - 1946, they were ALL
>>provinces in Empires.  Before the Europeans, they were in the Ottoman
>>Empire.  There was NEVER an Iraq or a Kuwait as we now know them.  BUT,
>>historically, Kuwait and Iraq were distinct provinces for centuries
>>-since before the Turks, kept separate w/ different regional
>>governments, diff. trading areas, etc.  That is exactly what happend in
>>Europe w/ Hitler.  The states he conquered were nothing more than the
>>remenants of provinces of the Russian, Polish-Lithuanian, and Hapsburg
>>Empires.  There was never a Poland like this is today.  What was
>>Czechoslovakia but a UNION OF WEST SLAVS???  But, I digress...
>
>Well, it seems that we don't disagree. But if you take a few centuries
>back, you will notice that France, Germany, Spain, Italy... were a
>conglomerate of people and traditions of much less uniformity than today's
>middle eastern arabic countries. Not that I am not talking about the african
>arabic countries or even Syria. Just the Arabian peninsula and Messopotamia.
>Sure, some countries in the area have a long history but so did Acquitaine[sp?]
>and Burgundy in France. Following the same logic more than 200 petty states in
>Europe could have been easily created. In fact, they were created.
>
>                         Bye,
>                        Yannis.

Unfortunately, Kuwait has a history unlike any of the other Gulf states.  Prior
to the late 19th century, the area now known as Kuwait was uninhabited and
technically under Ottoman control.  The Kuwaitis were a nomadic tribe, not
under Ottoman rule.  They settled in Kuwait and elected the al-Sabah family to
 royalty.  They were not part of the Ottoman empire.  Kuwait became a British
 protectorate well _before_ World War I brought an end to the Ottoman empire.
In fact, before the turn of the century.
       Thus there was a Kuwait as we know it long before there was an Iraq.  As
 far as being artificial countries, there are no countries more artificial than
 Canada or the US.

                                       R France