THE NATIONAL SECURITY OF KUWAIT: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL DIMENSIONS

How has Kuwait been able to preserve its existence as an independent state during the past two decades? What are the prospects of its being able to meet any future threats to its security? These are the two major questions which this study attempts to answer and, in doing do, it covers the various dimensions of Kuwaiti national security. In this study we examine the threats to Kuwait\u27s stability and security arising from domestic sources and those originating from other states. To deal with these actual and potential threats, the Kuwaiti government has adopted several policies aimed at utilizing the country\u27s military, diplomatic, political and financial resources to enhance its overall security. The success of these policies over the last two decades in lessening threats to Kuwait\u27s security is likely to continue in the foreseeable future despite recent developments in the region. This study contains three sections in addition to the introduction and the conclusion. The first section provides an overview of Kuwait\u27s historical evolution from a small settlement in the seventeenth century to its present status. It then studies the present socio-economic conditions including the composition of the population of Kuwait, the economic activities, and the oil sector. Finally, it reviews the internal political environment, including the roles played by various political institutions and forces within the polity. The second section assesses the internal threat to Kuwait\u27s security, both actual and potential, and the country\u27s internal security capabilities. Next it explores external threats within and outside the Gulf region, and Kuwait\u27s efforts to strengthen its military capabilities. The third section covers Kuwait\u27s diplomacy, the country\u27s role in regional politics, its ability to take advantage of regional power configuration, and its efforts to strengthen relations with other countries. It also describes the various channels of Kuwaiti foreign aid and analyzes how this aid contributes to Kuwait\u27s national objectives. Chapter IX includes a summary of the findings of this study