Shaikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, 1895-1965 submitted by Abdullah Ahmad Alnajdi to the University of Exeter Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Arab and Islamic Studies July 2014 This thesis is available for library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. (Signature)………………………………………………. ABSTRACT This is the first monograph-length academic study of Shaikh Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah, Ruler of Kuwait between 1950 and 1965. It is based on British and US government records, interviews, and a wide range of secondary sources in Arabic and English. It traces the development of modern Kuwait from the mid-eighteenth century under the al-Sabah up to the accession of Shaikh Abdullah in 1950. It considers the succession question in Kuwait before 1950, and Abdullah’s lengthy period as a candidate for succession, which enabled him to develop and expand his ideas for his country before becoming ruler. The study also examines the way that Abdullah transformed Kuwait into the first rentier state in Eastern Arabia and analyses his impact on the development of Kuwait’s administrative system. The influence of Arab nationalism and Britain on his decision-making and his relationship with Arab nationalists and the British Government, as well as his subtle handling of Kuwait’s border dispute with Iraq, are also investigated in detail. This study focuses on the six major challenges that Abdullah overcame in order to transform Kuwait into a rentier state: (1) his political victories and defeats prior to his reign that shaped his political ideas, (2) his twenty-nine-year struggle to become ruler of Kuwait, (3) how he changed the direction of Kuwait’s development process by moving away from the politics of his predecessors, (4) his troubled relationship with the al-Sabah in Kuwait’s government administration, (5) how he dealt with the pressure exerted by Arab nationalists and the British Government on his political decisions, and (6) how he handled Kuwait’s troubled relationship with Iraq. 1 This thesis argues that Shaikh Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah was an exceptional leader not only among the rulers of Kuwait (1752 to present), but also among the rulers of the Gulf Arab states in general. He was the first ruler to introduce a rentier state system that provided extensive welfare services for all of his country’s citizens, securing his family’s position in government in the process. He led Kuwait to independence in 1961 and oversaw the drafting of its constitution in 1962. He was a skilled politician and diplomat, who negotiated a delicate balance between the competing interests of the Kuwaitis, the ruling family (the al-Sabah), the Arab nationalists, the British Government, and the Iraqi government. As a result, he has enjoyed a popularity within Kuwait second only to the founder of modern Kuwait, Shaikh Mubarak al-Sabah (r.1896-1915). 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract 1 Table of contents 3 Figures 6 Acknowledgments 7 Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Introduction 8 1.2 Theoretical Framework: Rentier State Theory 16 1.3 Methodology 20 1.4 Literature Review 23 Chapter Two: Abdullah’s Early Life and Political Influences, 1895-1950 2.1 Introduction 34 2.2 Abdullah’s Genealogy 35 2.3 The Assassination of 1896 36 2.4 Abdullah’s Upbringing 39 2.5 Abdullah’s Education 42 2.6 Abdullah’s Financial Status 47 2.7 Abdullah’s Financial Struggle with Ahmad al-Jabir, 1921-23 49 2.8 Abdullah’s Withdrawal from Political Life, 1923-35 57 2.8.1 Abdullah in Kuwait 57 2.8.2 Abdullah Abroad 59 2.9 Abdullah’s Re-Engagement into Kuwait Politics in 1935 62 2.10 Abdullah and the Legislative Council of 1938-39 and Thereafter 69 2.11 Conclusion 78 3 Chapter Three: Abdullah and the Succession Question, 1917-50 3.1 Introduction 81 3.2 Al-Sabah’s Legitimacy to Rule 81 3.3 Succession in Kuwait before 1921 90 3.4 Criteria for Succession 98 3.5 Abdullah’s Preparation for Succession, 1917-21 102 3.6 Abdullah’s Opportunity for Succession in 1921 106 3.7 Abdullah’s Position for Succession during the 1930s and 1940s 112 3.8 Abdullah’s Accession in 1950 116 3.9 Conclusion 118 Chapter Four: Abdullah and the Welfare State, 1950-65 4.1 Introduction 121 4.2 Abdullah’s Thoughts on a Welfare State in Kuwait 122 4.3 Kuwait’s Development in the 1940s 128 4.4 Abdullah Overcomes Obstacles for Development 131 4.5 Abdullah and the Welfare State 137 4.6 Approaches to the Welfare, Rentier State 154 4.6.1 Kuwait’s Acquisition of Land 155 4.6.2 Kuwait’s Education 156 4.6.3 Kuwait’s Healthcare 158 4.6.4 Kuwait’s Social Security and Employment 160 4.7 Conclusion 164 Chapter Five: Abdullah, the Ruling Family, and Britain’s Role in Kuwait, 1950-65 5.1 Introduction 168 5.2 The Ruling Family’s Authority before 1940s 169 5.3 Abdullah and the Ruling Family’s Authority in the 1940s 175 5.4 The British Threat to the Ruling Family’s Authority in Kuwait, 1944-54 183 5.4.1 British Intervention in Kuwait’s Internal Affairs, 1944-50 185 5.4.2 British Intervention in Kuwait’s Internal Affairs, 1950-54 187 5.4.3 Competing Authorities: Britain versus Abdullah and the Ruling Family 195 4 5.5 The Ruling Family and Kuwaiti Demands for Reform, 1954-62 202 5.6 Conclusion 216 Chapter Six: Abdullah, Arab Nationalists, and Britain’s Role 6.1 Introduction 218 6.2 The Background of Arab Nationalism in Kuwait 219 6.3 The Arab Nationalists’ Movement, Kuwait and Abroad 224 6.4 The National Youth Movement in Kuwait in the 1950s 228 6.5 Abdullah and the National Youth Movement in Kuwait 231 6.6 Kuwait, Arab Unity, and the British, 1899-1950 237 6.7 Abdullah, Arab Unity, and the British, 1950-65 244 6.8 Conclusion 255 Chapter Seven: Abdullah and Relations with Iraq 7.1 Introduction 257 7.2 Britain’s Role in Kuwaiti-Iraqi Relations, 1752-1950 258 7.3 Ahmad al-Jabir’s Strategies, 1921-50 269 7.4 Abdullah’s Strategies, 1950-65 277 7.5 Conclusion 293 Chapter Eight: Conclusion 296 Bibliography 317 5 FIGURES Figure 1: The direction/nature of the succession cases in al-Sabah House, 1766-1950 92 Figure 2: Minoprio, Spencely and Macfarlane’s plan 140 Figure 3: Minoprio Plan 142 Figure 4: Kuwaiti Development Board’s plan 147 Figure 5: Kuwait’s map of territorial authorities (inner red line and outer green line) as defined in the 1913 Anglo-Ottoman convection 261 Figure 6: Map of Kuwait’s border with Iraq and Najd (Saudi Arabia) after Uqair conference in 1923 271 Figure 7: Map showing Iraqi offer to lease Warba Island and a four Kilometre strip of Northern Kuwaiti land territory 281 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to extend my warmest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. James Onley, who guided me through the PhD process all the way to this moment of writing the acknowledgements section. I would also like to thank my second supervisor, Dr. Mark Valari, as well as Professor Christine Allison, for their advice. I would like to thank all who supplied me with useful testimonies and information for this thesis, Dr. Abdullah al-Ghunaim, Mr. Yusuf al-Nssuf, Mr. Ahmad al-Khatib, Mr. Yacoub al- Ibraheem, Dr. Ghanim al-Najjar, Dr. Abdulmalik al-Tamimi, Mr. Ahmad al-Deyain, Mr. Abdullah al-Naybari, Dr. Naiyf al-Shmrookh, Dr. Maimona al-Sabah, Dr. Najat Abdulqader al- Jassim, Mr. Saif Marzooq al-Shamlan, the family of the late ‘Aqab Al-Khatib (who died in 2013), Mrs. Mai al-Jen’ai, and Mr. Ali al-Raeis. This thesis is dedicated to my lovely wife, Nourah. Without her love, patience, sacrifice, prayers, and support, I would not have been able to finish this thesis. I would also like to dedicate this thesis to my son, Ahmad, who spent the first three years of his life in the United Kingdom with us while I wrote it. I would like to apologise to them for our time away from Kuwait, but soon we will return home. I also extend my gratitude to my parents, Ahmad Abdurrahman Alnajdi and Fawziah Salim al-Salim, who always supported and prayed for the completion of my PhD. Finally, I would like to thank my wife’s parents, Fadel Bouresli and Maha Bohamdi, for their concern and support during the writing of my PhD. 7 CHAPTER ONE Introduction “Justice is the basis of rulership” –– Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah 1.1. Introduction From the mid-eighteenth century, when the al-Sabah rose to prominence as the ruling family of Kuwait, up to the present (2014), there have been fifteen rulers from this family, although only a few of these have attracted the attention of historians. Chronologically, the first ruler of note was Sabah I (r. 1752-66), the first al-Sabah ruler of Kuwait, who was chosen by the ‘Utub tribal confederation.1 The second notable ruler was Mubarak al-Sabah (r.1896-1915), known as the founder of modern Kuwait. The third notable ruler, and the focus of this thesis, was Abdullah al- Salim al-Sabah (r.1950-65), Mubarak’s grandson.