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151-829: On 10 June 1916, Sherif Hussien Bin Ali prince of Mecca , officially declared the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire to rid Arab nations of the Turkish rule that had lasted about four centuries. On 21 November 1920, Prince Abdullah Bin Al-Hussien (later King) arrived at Ma'an , where he expressed his resolution to drive out the Turkish forces from Syria . Later, on 5 December 1920, he proclaimed himself as deputy king in Syria and appealed to members of

302-518: A Reuters dispatch, instead set the date as March 7, 1924, and describe Hussein bin Ali being elected as a caliph by Muslims from "Mesopotamia, Transjordan, and Hejaz". A third counting of the official date takes place when he received the homage of the majority of the Arab population in Amman as the caliph, on March 11, 1924. Finally, a fourth version places the date on Friday, March 14, 1924, when Hussein

453-725: A Zionist delegation led by rabbi Yaakov Meir and a British colonel. Despite having welcomed them with respect, he would not change his position. As his stance was seen by the United Kingdom as extremist, the British and the Zionist media engaged in press campaigns against Hussein, where his positions were misrepresented. They also engaged heavily against his Caliphate , calling it illegitimate. After him becoming Caliph, he continued on this path, stating: "I consider Zionism unjust towards Muslims, Christians and Orthodox Jews, and as

604-624: A religious and anti-colonial one. Twenty days after the start of the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire , Hussein bin Ali's son, Faisal , met with the leaders of the revolutionary organization Al-Fatat in Damascus . They assured him of their support in case of revolt and recognized Hussein as the representative of the Arab nation . When Hussein took up the pan-Arab claims in 1916, after his proclamation of independence, he became

755-677: A branch of the infantry school. Officer cadets are trained at the Mutah Military University, which was established in the town of Mutah, south of Amman, in the 1980s. A cadet who successfully completes the four-year course is commissioned as a second lieutenant. Advanced courses for officer training are provided at two centres near Amman – the Jordanian Staff College and the War College. Generally, officers from senior captain to lieutenant colonel attend

906-400: A camel-mounted desert mobile force was organized under the command of John Bagot Glubb to maintain security and order. This organization attracted numerous Bedouin volunteers. In 1933, the first mechanized force was formed. This element consisted of three vehicles and 120 men including the camel-mounted desert mobile force. It undertook the responsibility of maintaining security, preventing

1057-617: A designation. He replied: "Verily these are the lands of Allah in which nothing will ever stand except the Shariah of Allah [...] The constitution of the lands of Allah is the Shariah of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet". His main teacher was Ahmad Zayni Dahlan , with whom he became a hafiz . He had a Shafi'i and Hanafi education, but also allied with the Malikis and opposed

1208-629: A hill station near Mecca, which after an initial repulse settled down into a siege. With the British-Egyptian artillery support, Abdullah took Ta'if on 22 September 1916. After this, and for most of the war, Hussein's sons directed the fighting ; most notably Faisal , future Faisal I of Iraq, and Abdullah , future Abdullah I of Jordan. Hussein mostly stayed in Mecca to direct the operations, while his sons were fighting. The Arab revolt laid siege to Medina but wasn't able to take it for

1359-467: A joint venture of Ballast Nedam . The Al Sabah strongly advocated Islamism throughout the 1980s. At that time, the most serious threat to the continuity of Al Sabah came from home-grown democrats, who were protesting the 1976 suspension of the parliament . The Al Sabah were attracted to Islamists preaching the virtues of a hierarchical order that included loyalty to the Kuwaiti monarchy. In 1981,

1510-761: A letter to the Ruler of Arabistan Sheikh Khazʽal Ibn Jabir offering the Kuwaiti throne to either him or one of his heirs. Khaz'al refused. He then asked: ...even so, do you think that you have come to me with something new? Al Mubarak's position as ruler of Kuwait means that I am the true ruler of Kuwait. So there is no difference between myself and them, for they are like the dearest of my children and you are aware of this. Had someone else come to me with this offer, I would have complained about them to you. So how do you come to me with this offer when you are well aware that myself and Al Mubarak are one soul and one house, what affects them affects me, whether good or evil. Following

1661-711: A part of its forces from these fronts to the Jordanian front. At 0730 hrs. on 5 June 1967, the Israelis surprised the Arab states with a series of continuous air strikes directed at Arab airfields. As a result, most of the Arab air force was neutralized. Amid the battles in Jerusalem was the Battle of Ammunition Hill ; 71 Jordanian soldiers died. Eventually, the Jordanian Army was driven from East Jerusalem. After

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1812-599: A payment of £30,000 conditional on signature. Hussein declined and in 1921, stated that he could not be expected to "affix his name to a document assigning Palestine to the Zionists and Syria to foreigners". He refused again to accept the Balfour Declaration in 1923, and stated : "I look at the people of Palestine as I look at my own family, without distinction between Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or nationalist". In January 1924, Hussein received in Amman

1963-769: A protector of justice, I will resist this unjust Zionism". This contributed to aggravate his relationship with the Zionists towards a breaking point. After the Caliphate was abolished by the Turkish Grand National Assembly , Hussein was proclaimed as Caliph. The accounts on the official date and proceedings vary, some place the beginning of the Caliphate on 3 March 1924, when Hussein would have declared himself Caliph at his son Abdullah's winter camp in Shunah, Transjordan . Other accounts, such as

2114-485: A result of the worldwide economic depression. At its height, Kuwait's pearl industry had led the world's luxury market, regularly sending out between 750 and 800 ships to meet the European elite's desire for pearls. During the economic depression, luxuries like pearls were in little demand. The Japanese invention of cultured pearls also contributed to the collapse of Kuwait's pearl industry. Freya Stark wrote about

2265-656: A state of emergency and started to concentrate its forces in the Sinai desert. In addition to that, Jordan signed a mutual defense agreement with Egypt. Consequently, Israel ordered the full mobilisation of its forces on 25 May 1967. As a result, the Arab Jordan Army was placed on maximum alert. The operational Strengths Of Opposing Forces on the Jordanian Front included: When the military operations were over on both Egyptian and Syrian fronts, Israel redeployed

2416-700: A strategic reserve (1 Royal armoured division with 3 armd, 1 arty, 1 AD brigades). An armoured division has become the core element of a strategic reserve. Each command is controlled by its Field General, but all of the commands are under the King of Jordan's control. Currently Royal Jordanian Army is restructuring its armoured units, Challenger 1 MBTs equipping four battalions will be replaced by 80 Leclerc donated from UAE and 80 upgraded second-hand Italian Centauro 105 mm 8x8 Mobile Gun Systems by two battalions each, 75 German Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles will replace YPR-765s in two infantry battalions, while

2567-566: A substantial delta, creating most of the land in present-day Kuwait and establishing the present coastlines. One of the earliest evidence of human habitation in Kuwait dates back to 8000 BC where Mesolithic tools were found in Burgan . Historically, most of present-day Kuwait was part of ancient Mesopotamia . During the Ubaid period (6500 BC), Kuwait was the central site of interaction between

2718-495: A thorough knowledge of the desert's flora and fauna and composed poems in humayni verse, a type of vernacular poetry ( malhun ) of the Bedouins. He also practiced horseback riding and hunting. In 1875, he married Abdullah's daughter, Abdiyah, his cousin. In 1877, Abdullah died, and Hussein, along with his cousin Ali ibn Abdullah, received the rank of Pasha . After a series of political assassinations among his uncles vying for

2869-604: A tradition of attending Sandhurst. The late King Hussein graduated from the college in 1952; he was followed by his son, the present ruler King Abdullah in 1981; his daughter Aisha, now head of the Royal Jordanian Army Women's Corps, in 1987; his son Prince Ali in 1994; Crown Prince Hamzeh in 1999 and Prince Hashem, half-brother of King Abdullah, in 2000. In addition, both officers and non-commissioned officers attend specialised courses abroad. The British Government arranges for senior Jordanian officers to attend

3020-577: A year, thus impeding the operations. During this battle, the Ottomans killed and deported the civilian Arabic population of Medina into the Syrian desert , an event hidden by the pretense of doing " Seferberlik ", or mobilization. On 30 October 1916, Emir Abdullah called a meeting of majlis where he read a letter in which "Husayn ibn Ali was recognized as sovereign of the Arab nation. Then all those present arose and proclaimed him Malik al-Arab , King of

3171-784: Is a founding member of the GCC and is also a member of the United Nations , the Arab League , and OPEC . The name "Kuwait" is from the Kuwaiti Arabic diminutive form of كوت ( Kut or Kout ), meaning "fortress built near water". The country's official name has been the "State of Kuwait" since 1961. Following the post-glacial flooding of the Persian Gulf basin , debris from the Tigris–Euphrates river formed

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3322-465: Is a group of officers qualified militarily and technically working to advise the commander and assist in decision-making, they translate decision of the commander to orders and instructions and they are responsible for monitoring the implementation and size varies Chiefs of Staff of the unit level and the level of formations and at the level of the General Command represents assistant chairman of

3473-506: Is called the "golden era of Kuwait". In 1946, crude oil was exported for the first time. In 1950, a major public-work programme began to enable Kuwaiti citizens to enjoy a luxurious standard of living. By 1952, the country became the largest oil exporter in the Persian Gulf region. This massive growth attracted many foreign workers, especially from Palestine, Iran, India, and Egypt – with the latter being particularly political within

3624-565: Is considered to be a pioneer in the region when it comes to the arts and popular culture, often called the "Hollywood of the Gulf", the nation started the oldest modern arts movement in the Arabian Peninsula and is known to have created among the leading artists in the region. Kuwaiti popular culture, in the form of theatre, radio, music, and television soap opera, is exported to neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Kuwait

3775-773: Is evidently enthroned as caliph in Baghdad during the Friday prayer. In any case, all sources agree on a date in March 1924, shortly after the abolition of the Ottoman caliphate by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk . Separately, he made statements in support of the Ottoman dynasty , which had been ruined and exiled from Turkey . In this regard, he declared: The services rendered by the Ottoman family to Islam and Muslims are undeniable; their heroism cannot be belittled. The recent decision regarding

3926-438: Is followed by more advanced training in weaponry and various specialities, such as artillery, communications and engineering, after the recruit is assigned to a permanent unit. Soldiers who qualify for promotion undertake courses at a general NCO school. They may then avail themselves of courses in more specialised centres where there is training in armour, artillery, engineering and logistics. Special Forces personnel are trained in

4077-537: Is known as Black September in Arab history. In September 1970, King Hussein moved to quash an attempt by armed Palestinian insurgents to overthrow his monarchy. The violence resulted in civilian casualties on both sides. Armed conflict lasted until July 1971 ending only when remaining Palestinian insurgents were surrounded in the Ajloun-Jarash mountains, finally surrendered to the Jordan army and were expelled from

4228-464: Is said to have saved up to 4,000 people from the genocide, in collaboration with Hussein al-Attrache, a Druze chieftain who then disguised the refugees as Druzes . His son, Faisal, provided free transportation to all Armenian refugees for their trip towards the British refugee camp in Damascus and free use of the Hejaz railway  ; even if that meant impeding on the war effort. In the aftermath of

4379-588: The 1985 Kuwait City bombings , and the hijacking of several Kuwait Airways planes. Kuwait's economy and scientific research sector significantly suffered due to the pro-Iran terror attacks. Simultaneously, Kuwait experienced a major economic crisis after the Souk Al-Manakh stock market crash and decrease in oil price . After the Iran–Iraq War ended, Kuwait declined an Iraqi request to forgive its US$ 65 billion debt. An economic rivalry between

4530-637: The Al-Faissali army to join his forces in Ma'an. His calls received much attention in the Arab world as several prominent Arab nationalists and other Arab princes joined his campaign; these later formed the embryonic force of the Arab legion. When Prince Abdullah came to power in the Emirate of Transjordan , the Jordanian Armed Forces included: Roles of military formations in Jordan from

4681-670: The Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire , accusing the Committee of Union and Progress of violating tenets of Islam and limiting the power of the sultan-caliph. While his armies, led by his sons, were engaged in fighting the Ottoman and German troops in the Middle East , Hussein supported the Armenians during the Armenian genocide and saved up to 4,000 of them. In the aftermath of World War I , Hussein refused to ratify

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4832-684: The Arabian Peninsula . By the late-1700s, Kuwait had established itself as a trading route from the Persian Gulf to Aleppo . During the Persian siege of Basra in 1775–79 , Iraqi merchants took refuge in Kuwait and were partly instrumental in the expansion of Kuwait's boat-building and trading activities. As a result, Kuwait's maritime commerce boomed, as the Indian trade routes with Baghdad, Aleppo, Smyrna and Constantinople were diverted to Kuwait during this time. The East India Company

4983-657: The Battle of Megiddo , in September 1918, Hussein's troops led by his son Faisal, joined the British forces and managed to utterly destroy the 4th, 7th and 8th Ottoman armies, and push into retreat the Yildirim Army Group , comprising the German Asian Corps and led at the time by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk , thus leaving the Palestinian and Arabian front without defence, and finally breaking inside

5134-660: The British should not be overestimated. The deep-rooted reason for the Arab revolt, according to him, remains the persecutions and abuse carried out by the Young Turks against the Arabs of the Ottoman Empire, and is not necessarily linked to British support. This support would therefore be contingent and the revolt would have still occurred without their help. This point was shared at the time by Abbas II of Egypt ,

5285-483: The British Army , given Jordan's military heritage. The Jordanian military also contributes to UN peacekeeping missions worldwide, having sent contingents to Africa, Afghanistan, Croatia, Bosnia, parts of the former Soviet Union, and even as far as Haiti and East Timor . The Jordanian military has established a regional center of excellence with regards to special forces training, having received training from both

5436-835: The Ibn Saud - Wahhabi armies of the Ikhwan , on 23 December 1925, Hussein surrendered to the Saudis, bringing the Kingdom of Hejaz, the Sharifate of Mecca and the Sharifian Caliphate to an end. Hussein was then sent into exile to Cyprus , where the British kept him prisoner until his health deteriorated so much that they allowed him to go back to Amman , next to his son Abdullah I of Jordan . He died in Amman in 1931 and

5587-578: The Kassites of Mesopotamia , and was formally under the control of the Kassite dynasty of Babylon . Studies indicate traces of human settlement can be found on Failaka dating back to as early as the end of the 3rd millennium BC, and extending until the 20th century AD. Many of the artifacts found in Falaika are linked to Mesopotamian civilizations and seem to show that Failaka was gradually drawn toward

5738-783: The M60A3s will be upgraded and remain in service in four battalions supporting mechanized infantry brigades. His Majesty King Abdullah II is the Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces. This authority is vested in the king by the Jordanian Constitution of 1952. He exercises the right to appoint and dismiss all members of the High Command of Jordan's Armed forces, and has the authority to exercise command and control over all units of

5889-616: The Ottoman Empire . The British economic blockade heavily damaged Kuwait's economy. In 1919, Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah intended to build a commercial city in the south of Kuwait. This caused a diplomatic crisis with Najd, but Britain intervened, discouraging Sheikh Salim. In 1920, an attempt by the Ikhwan to build a stronghold in southern Kuwait led to the Battle of Hamdh . The Battle of Hamdh involved 2,000 Ikhwan fighters against 100 Kuwaiti cavalrymen and 200 Kuwaiti infantrymen . The battle lasted for six days and resulted in heavy but unknown casualties on both sides resulting in

6040-432: The Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II . His relationship with the Ottoman government deteriorated after the Committee of Union and Progress took power, particularly because of their policies of Turkification and persecution of ethnic minorities, including Arabs. In 1916, with the promise of British support for Arab independence, although it is debated as to what extent the British were influential in his choice, he proclaimed

6191-415: The Persian Gulf trading routes. During the Dilmun era (from ca. 3000 BC), Failaka was known as " Agarum ", the land of Enzak , a great god in the Dilmun civilization according to Sumerian cuneiform texts found on the island. As part of Dilmun, Failaka became a hub for the civilization from the end of the 3rd to the middle of the 1st millennium BC. After the Dilmun civilization, Failaka was inhabited by

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6342-431: The Sassanid religion 's tower of silence was discovered in northern Akkaz. Late Sassanian settlements were discovered in Failaka. In Bubiyan , there is archaeological evidence of Sassanian to early Islamic periods of human presence as evidenced by the recent discovery of torpedo-jar pottery shards on several prominent beach ridges. In 636 AD, the Battle of Chains between the Sassanid Empire and Rashidun Caliphate

6493-598: The Syrian territories in which the Armenian genocide took place, he issued a decree to protect Armenians from persecution and allow them to settle in peace, in which he ordered : "What is requested of you is to protect and to take good care of everyone from the Jacobite Armenian community living in your territories and frontiers and among your tribes; to help them in all of their affairs and defend them as you would defend yourselves, your properties and children, and provide everything they might need whether they are settled or moving from place to place, because they are

6644-419: The Treaty of Versailles , in protest of the Balfour Declaration , a document supporting the Jewish settlers in Palestine , and the establishment of British and French mandates in Syria , Iraq , and Palestine . His sons Faisal and Abdullah were made rulers of Iraq and Transjordan respectively in 1921. He later refused to sign the Anglo-Hashemite Treaty and thus was left in a very precarious position,

6795-417: The Turks became so violent that they overshadowed those that existed in Arab society and Bedouin society; and many rival tribes to the Hashemites rallied behind their leadership. An independentist and anti-colonial Arab movement developed, mainly in Ottoman Syria , where Arab intellectuals and newspapers called for the restoration of the caliphate in the hands of a Quraysh , and especially for

6946-413: The Wahhabis , at a time when adherence to a madhhab was more fluid. In 1911, Hussein became involved in an Ottoman campaign in 'Asir ; the Young Turks requested his support to fight Muhammad ibn Ali al-Idrisi , who had recently revolted there and proclaimed the Idrisid Emirate . Hussein was very supportive of this campaign because 'Asir traditionally belonged to the Hejaz, and al-Idrisi presence in

7097-410: The ancient Greeks colonized the bay of Kuwait under Alexander the Great . The ancient Greeks named mainland Kuwait Larissa and Failaka was named Ikaros . The bay of Kuwait was named Hieros Kolpos . According to Strabo and Arrian , Alexander the Great named Failaka Ikaros because it resembled the Aegean Island of that name in size and shape. Elements of Greek mythology were mixed with

7248-451: The hijab in the 1960s and 70s. Although Kuwait formally gained independence in 1961, Iraq initially refused to recognize the country's independence by maintaining that Kuwait is part of Iraq, albeit Iraq later briefly backed down following a show of force by Britain and Arab League support of Kuwait's independence. The short-lived Operation Vantage crisis evolved in July 1961, as the Iraqi government threatened to invade Kuwait and

7399-473: The 1932 border of Kuwait. Under the terms of the newly drafted Constitution , Kuwait held its first parliamentary elections in 1963 . Kuwait University was established in 1966. Kuwait's theatre industry became well known throughout the region. After the 1967 Six Day War , Kuwait along with other Arabic speaking countries voted the three no's of the Khartoum Resolution : no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, and no negotiations with Israel. From

7550-416: The 1967 war, the army was rearmed. In 1968, the army defended Jordan against Israeli troops that had invaded Jordanian territory in pursuit of Palestinian guerrillas – the Battle of Karameh . Palestinians claim a victory just for resisting Israeli troops; the Jordanians say that they forced the Israelis back; the Israelis say that they pulled back after hitting the Palestinians at which time they were bombed by

7701-427: The 1970s onward, Kuwait scored highest of all Arab countries on the Human Development Index . The Iraqi poet Ahmed Matar left Iraq in the 1970s to take refuge in the more liberal environment of Kuwait. Kuwait is the 25th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index . The Kuwait-Iraq 1973 Samita border skirmish evolved on 20 March 1973, when Iraqi army units occupied El-Samitah near

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7852-429: The 2nd Brigade. The army continued its expansion in numbers and equipment. In 1948, it consisted of two brigades ; two garrisons and four battalions were merged to become six battalions. At this time, the army consisted of an infantry division, an artillery brigade, a mortar battery, an artillery battery, an engineer and signal battalion and a field aid unit. After the announcement of the 1947 UN Partition Plan , and

8003-413: The 40th Armoured Brigade was sent to the Syrian front. Since the major reorganisation of 1977, the Royal Jordanian Army has kept the 5th Armoured Division deployed between the Iraqi border and Ramtha on the Syrian border, the 12th Mechanized Division deployed from Ramtha through Umm Qays to the Zarqa River in a defensive posture that covers both Israel and Syria and the 4th Mechanized Division deployed from

8154-411: The American missionary hospital. The Kuwait–Najd War of 1919–20 erupted in the aftermath of World War I . The war occurred because Ibn Saud of Najd wanted to annex Kuwait. The sharpened conflict between Kuwait and Najd led to the death of hundreds of Kuwaitis. The war resulted in sporadic border clashes throughout 1919–1920. When Percy Cox was informed of the border clashes in Kuwait, he sent

8305-410: The Arab legion west of Al-Nabi Illias and were forced to withdraw to Qalqilia hills. Armour Artillery Aircraft When Kuwait declared its independence from the Commonwealth on 19 June 1961, the Iraqi government announced that Kuwait was an integral part of its national territories. Following the end of Operation Vantage , the Arab league formed the Arab Emergency Force to protect Kuwait with

8456-461: The Arabs". During the whole duration of the war, Hussein's troops stayed underequipped and lacking artillery – which the Allies didn't want to give, seing that front as utopical and not as important as the fight was in the Western front , among others. This lack of artillery and high mobility ; since most of the troops were mounted Bedouins , pushed them to use guerilla tactics in the desert ; for example by severing Ottoman supplies with

8607-433: The British High Commissioner in the Sultanate of Egypt , Hussein seized the opportunity and demanded recognition of an Arab nation that included the Hejaz and other adjacent territories as well as approval for the proclamation of an Arab Caliphate of Islam. High Commissioner McMahon accepted and assured him that his assistance would be rewarded by an Arab empire encompassing the entire span between Egypt and Persia , with

8758-416: The British decided progressively to stop supporting him after the proclamation of his caliphate and the refusal to sign any treaty with them. Thus, they decided to support Ibn Saud , who promptly launched an invasion of the Kingdom of Hejaz. In October 1924, facing defeat by Ibn Saud, he abdicated and was succeeded as king by his eldest son Ali bin Hussein . After Hejaz was subsequently completely invaded by

8909-409: The First World War, siding with fellow anti-Saudis, the Ottomans in 1910. Hussein initiated a series of reforms, including measures to avoid offending Muslims from French or British colonies who undertook the Hajj . He also addressed the issue of stray dogs, attempted to ensure the security of the Hajj routes, and sought to combat the prevalent slave markets in the Hejaz region . He undertook

9060-505: The Grand Sherif could not be found; if they are still unavailable it may be somewhat awkward when King Hussein produces the originals. (...) Failing a satisfactory solution King Hussein will have some grounds for considering that Great Britain has broken her pledged word." In 1919, King Hussein refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles . In August 1920, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Sèvres , Curzon asked Cairo to procure Hussein's signature to both treaties and agreed to make

9211-479: The Israelis considered it their most dangerous adversary. However, after 1956, the Jordanian capabilities began to decline. In 1967, they performed worse than in 1948, although the exceptional performance of the 40th Armoured Brigade and a number of Israeli mistakes helped disguise the deterioration somewhat. Thereafter Jordanian capabilities continued to gradually erode.' Volunteers and conscripts receive 14 weeks of basic training in military skills and discipline. This

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9362-401: The Joint Chiefs of Staff group Chiefs of Staff, as follows: The Jordanian Army has Four Regional Commands (Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern), Quick Reaction Force Brigade, Special Forces Group and Special Royal Guard Command. The Army have a full range of combat and combat supporting corps, including the Royal Maintenance Corps . Today's Jordanian military ranks are based on those of

9513-443: The Jordanian territories in the Al-Rahwa, Hebron sector, and attacked the police station there. After long clashes with a Jordanian unit from the Desert Guards, the Israeli force was forced to withdraw repulsed. On 10 October 1956, an enemy force, estimated at a motorized infantry brigade, supported by medium-range artillery and 10 combat aircraft, attacked the Arab towns of Hubla, Al-Nabi Illias and Azroun. The assaulting troops fought

9664-424: The Jordanians. Daily clashes continued on the Jordanian Front after the 1967 war until the mid-1970s – the War of Attrition . The most famous one was the Battle of Karameh. In 1968, Israeli forces crossed the border and advanced on the town of Karameh. The Jordanian army mobilized and a battle broke out between the Jordanian army and the IDF. The Israeli forces retreated after a heavy bombardment.' September 1970

9815-422: The Kuwaiti border, which evoked an international crisis. On 6 February 1974, Palestinian militants occupied the Japanese embassy in Kuwait , taking the ambassador and ten others hostage. The militants' motive was to support the Japanese Red Army members and Palestinian militants who were holding hostages on a Singaporean ferry in what is known as the Laju incident . Ultimately, the hostages were released, and

9966-446: The Kuwaiti government gerrymandered electoral districts in favour of the Islamists. Islamists were the government's main allies, hence Islamists were able to dominate state agencies, such as the government ministries . During the Iran–Iraq War , Kuwait ardently supported Iraq. As a result, there were various pro-Iran terror attacks across Kuwait, including the 1983 bombings, the attempted assassination of Emir Jaber in May 1985,

10117-444: The Kuwaiti island of Failaka in 2000 BC. Traders from the Sumerian city of Ur inhabited Failaka and ran a mercantile business. The island had many Mesopotamian-style buildings typical of those found in Iraq dating from around 2000 BC. In 4000 BC until 2000 BC, Kuwait was home to the Dilmun civilization . Dilmun included Al-Shadadiya, Akkaz , Umm an Namil , and Failaka . At its peak in 2000 BC, Dilmun controlled

10268-407: The Kuwait–Najd War in 1919–20, Ibn Saud imposed a trade blockade against Kuwait from the years 1923 until 1937. The goal of the Saudi economic and military attacks on Kuwait was to annex as much of Kuwait's territory as possible. At the Uqair conference in 1922, the boundaries of Kuwait and Najd were set; as a result of British interference, Kuwait had no representative at the Uqair conference. After

10419-420: The Northern command, the Central Command, the Eastern Command and the Southern Command. As of August 2004, the army was reported to be 88,000 strong, and the Northern Command is reported to consist of (2 mech, 1 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 AD brigade), the Southern Command (1 armd, 1 infantry brigade), the Central Command (1 mech, 1 lt. inf, 1 arty, 1 AD brigade), the Eastern Command (2 mech, 1 arty, 1 AD brigade), and

10570-429: The Ottoman Empire. The battle happened at the same time as the Vardar offensive in the Balkans , which managed to overrun Bulgarian defences, thus opening the Balkans and ultimately Austria-Hungary . Since the war was seemingly won, and the Ottoman defences were crumbling, Faisal projected himself towards Damascus, which he took the 1st of October 1918. After this, he engaged in the pursuit to Haritan , pursuing

10721-399: The Persian Gulf via Khor Subiya which was a river channel at the time. Failaka was located 15 kilometers from the mouth of the Euphrates river. By the first century BC, the Khor Subiya river channel dried out completely. In 127 BC, Kuwait was part of the Parthian Empire and the kingdom of Characene was established around Teredon in present-day Kuwait. Characene was centered in

10872-573: The Persian Gulf. The Sheikhdom of Kuwait remained a British protectorate until 1961. After the Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913 , Kuwait was established as an autonomous kaza , or district, of the Ottoman Empire and a de facto protectorate of Great Britain . During World War I , the British Empire imposed a trade blockade against Kuwait because Kuwait's ruler at the time, Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah , supported

11023-627: The Protected People of the Muslims ( Ahl Dimmat al-Muslimin ) – about whom the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah grant him His blessings and peace) said: "Whosoever takes from them even a rope, I will be his adversary on the day of Judgment". This is among the most important things we require of you to do and expect you to accomplish, in view of your noble character and determination". The Armenian National Institute considers it to be

11174-1019: The Royal College for Defence Studies in the UK. Britain's special relationship with Jordan has remained strong – this was underlined by the provision by the British Army of two short-term training teams to Jordan to advise and oversee the transition and the conversion training of the Jordan Armed Forces on the Al-Hussein/Challenger 1 tanks supplied as part of Britain's military assistance to the kingdom. Sherif Hussein bin Ali Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi ( Arabic : ٱلْحُسَيْن بِن عَلِي ٱلْهَاشِمِي , romanized :  al-Ḥusayn bin 'Alī al-Hāshimī pronunciation ; 1 May 1854 – 4 June 1931)

11325-637: The Staff College, where they can earn a BA degree in military science, while more senior officers study at the War College, where a master's degree is offered. Many Jordanian officers study abroad – at the US Army General Staff College, or at the British Army Staff College, and many Jordanian cadets have graduated from the UK's Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Members of the Jordanian royal family have

11476-590: The United Kingdom and the United States. Jordanian Special Forces have trained counterparts from Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen. Kenneth Pollack, a U.S. military analyst, wrote in c.2002 that 'from 1948 to 1956, the Arab Legion was far superior to any of the other Arab militaries. In battle, it generally gave as good as it got, and

11627-467: The Uqair conference, Kuwait was still subjected to a Saudi economic blockade and intermittent Saudi raiding . Kuwait immensely declined in regional economic importance, due to the trade blockades and the world economic depression. Before Mary Bruins Allison visited Kuwait in 1934, Kuwait had already lost its prominence in long-distance trade. The Great Depression harmed Kuwait's economy, starting in

11778-530: The Zarqa River, north of As-Salt to the Dead Sea facing Israel. The 3rd Armoured Division acts as both the strategic reserve and the main protection against any internal disturbances. It has units deployed at Zarqa in the north; near the capital Amman (along with a brigade of Royal Guards made up of hand-picked troops from Bedouin tribes known for their long-standing loyalty to the crown), and at Qatraneh in

11929-502: The acquisition of Arab independence from the Ottoman Empire . The relationship between Hussein and the Committee of Union and Progress worsened even more after the discovery and foiling of a plot by Enver Pasha to assassinate Hussein. All of these points led to a violent rupture between Arab elites and the Ottoman political class, and are reflected in Hussein's later proclamation of independence, where he presented his struggle as

12080-538: The approaches from Jenin , in the north to Afula and from Al-Majame'a bridge on the Jordan River to Bissan and from there to Afula . Units of the Arab Legion were engaged in several battles with the Jewish forces including the following: King Hussein spared no pains at all to improve the army in terms of cadre and equipment, and in the early 1956 dismissed Glubb and Arab commanders assumed leadership posts in

12231-506: The area severed his financial and political ties with 'Asir. He gathered an army of about 5,000 men from the Aqil and Bisha tribes, both tribes being from 'Asir, in Mecca and then began to march against al-Idrisi. After an initial defeat due to the heat and a cholera epidemic, he managed to inflict two heavy defeats on the Idrisid forces . Then, he managed to break the siege of Abha , which

12382-487: The areas affected. The troops of Hussein also committed war crimes, deciding to execute Turkish troops responsible of the Tafas massacre against Arabian civilians, instead of taking them prisoners. After the fall of Aqaba, the Arab forces, supplemented with British auxiliaries and with the design of joining forces with the British main armies, which were trying to break out of Egypt and Palestine, managed to join them. During

12533-716: The areas in question had already been claimed by the new British ally, France. Having received a British subsidy totalling £6.5m between 1916 and April 1919, in May 1919, the subsidy was reduced to £100K monthly (from £200K), dropped to £75K from October, £50K in November, £25K in December until February 1920 after which no more payments were made. The British were not disposed to fulfill their promises to Hussein, as Colonel Wilson stated in secret correspondence : "At one time, our Arabic copies of Sir H. MacMahon's letters to

12684-611: The armed forces. The Headquarters of Jordan's military is called the Armed Forces General Command and is located in Amman. This headquarters is under the supervision of the Chief of the General Staff, who is appointed by the king. He exercises general responsibility for the day to day command, control and administration of the military and reports directly to the king as Supreme Commander. Chiefs of Staff

12835-680: The army, most notably Habis Al-Majali . In 1957, King Hussein ordered the establishment of the 4th infantry brigade and another of field artillery. In 1958, the heavy artillery was entered, In the same year, the Armoured Brigade was reorganized as an Armoured Division and, in 1961, it became the Armour Corps. During this period, the 40th Armoured Brigade , 60th Armoured Brigade and the Royal Guard Brigade were established. On 11 September, an Israeli force infiltrated

12986-506: The bombings of specific sections of the Hejaz railway . After the fall of Medina, the Arab troops were able to secure Aqaba quickly and this allowed them to project themselves farther; they still ambushed Ottoman troops, such as during the battle of Wadi Musa , helping themselves with their superior knowledge of the Arabian and Syrian deserts. This conflict was marked by widespread ethnic cleansing directed at non-Turkish populations in

13137-625: The city to grow up among Bedouin nomads. Apparently a diligent young man, he mastered the principles of the Arabic language and was also educated in Islamic law and doctrine . Among his teachers was Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud at-Turkizi ash-Shinqiti, with whom he studied the seven Mu'allaqat . With Sheikh Ahmad Zayni Dahlan , he studied the Quran , completing its memorization before the age of 20. During Abdullah's reign, Hussein became familiar with

13288-629: The civilization based in Antioch . Under Nebuchadnezzar II , the bay of Kuwait was under Babylonian control. Cuneiform documents found in Failaka indicate the presence of Babylonians in the island's population. Babylonian Kings were present in Failaka during the Neo-Babylonian Empire period, Nabonidus had a governor in Failaka and Nebuchadnezzar II had a palace and temple in Falaika. Failaka also contained temples dedicated to

13439-474: The context of the Arab Cold War . It was also in 1952 that the first masterplan of Kuwait was designed by the British planning firm of Minoprio , Spenceley , and Macfarlane. In 1958, Al-Arabi magazine was first published. Many foreign writers moved to Kuwait because they enjoyed greater freedom of expression than elsewhere in the Middle East. Kuwait's press was described as one of the freest in

13590-611: The country was a regional trade port; from 1946 to 1982, the country underwent large-scale modernization, largely based on income from oil production . In the 1980s, Kuwait experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash . In 1990, Kuwait was invaded and subsequently annexed by Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein following disputes over oil production. The Iraqi occupation of Kuwait ended on 26 February 1991, following an American – British – French – Saudi – Egyptian - led international coalition culminating in

13741-411: The country's population reside in the urban agglomeration of Kuwait City , the capital and largest city. As of 2024 , Kuwait has a population of 4.82 million, of which 1.53 million are Kuwaiti citizens while the remaining 3.29 million are foreign nationals from over 100 countries. Kuwait has the third largest foreign-born population in the world . Before the discovery of oil reserves in 1938,

13892-561: The country.' In October 1970, the Ba'athist regime in neighboring Syria had attempted to intervene in support of the Palestinians by sending an armoured column into the north of Jordan. Jordanian ground and air forces were able to halt this advance and a combination of international political pressure and discord within the Syrian military led to a Syrian retreat. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War ,

14043-693: The death of the Bani Khalid's leader Barak bin Abdul Mohsen  [ ar ] and the fall of the Bani Khalid Emirate , the Utub were able to wrest control of Kuwait as a result of successive matrimonial alliances . In the latter half of the eighteenth century, Kuwait began establishing itself as a maritime port and gradually became a principal commercial center for the transit of goods between Baghdad , India, Persia, Muscat , and

14194-568: The disclosure of the British decision to leave Palestine on 15 May 1948, both warring sides (the Arabs and the Jews) began to make their military preparations for a forthcoming confrontation they believed would be inevitable. In May 1948, the Arab countries decided to send their forces to assist the Palestinians. The Arab Legion entered Palestine with other Arab Forces on 15 May 1948 using the Allenby (King Hussein) bridge as they were advancing to cover

14345-465: The exception of British possessions and interests in Kuwait , Aden , and the Syrian coast. However, at that time, the British scarcely thought about the promises made; their primary concern was winning the war and dismantling the Ottoman Empire. The fate of the Arab populations and the division of territory were left for a future date. According to Ekrem Buğra Ekinci , the links between Hussein and

14496-455: The expulsion of Iraqi forces . Like most other Arab states of the Persian Gulf , Kuwait is an emirate ; the emir is the head of state and the ruling Al Sabah family dominates the country's political system. Kuwait's official state religion is Islam, specifically the Maliki school of Sunni Islam. Kuwait is a high-income economy , backed by the world's sixth largest oil reserves . Kuwait

14647-472: The extent of poverty in Kuwait at the time: Poverty has settled in Kuwait more heavily since my last visit five years ago, both by sea, where the pearl trade continues to decline, and by land, where the blockade established by Saudi Arabia now harms the merchants. On 22 February 1938, oil was first discovered in the Burgan field . Between 1946 and 1980, Kuwait experienced a period of prosperity driven by oil and its liberal cultural atmosphere; this period

14798-399: The family [exile] has pierced the hearts and saddened the spirits of Muslims. Therefore, we see it as an obligation of Islamic brotherhood to meet the needs of the family and prevent them from experiencing financial difficulties. Those who wish to participate in this great endeavor should express their intentions to our representatives in Mecca. In the same perspective, he financially supported

14949-415: The formation of five infantry brigades. The army was divided into two fronts: Western front and Eastern front, ten infantry battalions were concentrated on both fronts. In 1967, a new armoured brigade was established. The artillery brigade was recognized to have consisted of three field artillery battalions and an anti-aircraft battalion. Believing that Israel was a becoming more of a threat, Egypt declared

15100-550: The foundation of the emirate until the 1948 Arab–Israeli War : This army started with an infantry company, cavalry company, machine guns unit , signal section and military band. In 1923, the total strength of the army, which was under the command of British Captain Frederick Gerard Peake , did not exceed 750 men. During 1930, the Arab Legion 's strength was expanded to approximately 1,100. In 1931,

15251-548: The guerrillas allowed to fly to Aden . This was the first time Palestinian guerrillas struck in Kuwait as the Al Sabah ruling family, headed by Sheikh Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, funded the Palestinian resistance movement. Kuwait had been a regular endpoint for Palestinian plane hijacking in the past and had considered itself safe. Kuwait International Airport was opened in 1979 by the Al Hani Construction with

15402-534: The increasingly nationalistic Ottoman administration. Following deliberations at Ta'if between Hussein and his sons in June 1915, during which Faisal counselled caution, Ali argued against rebellion and Abdullah advocated action and encouraged his father to enter into correspondence with Sir Henry McMahon ; over the period 14 July 1915 to 10 March 1916, a total of ten letters, five from each side, were exchanged between Sir Henry McMahon and Sherif Hussein. McMahon

15553-488: The invasion was finally averted following plans by the Arab League to form an international Arab force against the potential Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. As a result of Operation Vantage, the Arab League took over the border security of Kuwait and the British had withdrawn their forces by 19 October. Iraqi prime minister Abd al-Karim Qasim was killed in a coup in 1963 but, although Iraq recognised Kuwaiti independence and

15704-480: The last Khedive of Egypt , even though he was a sympathizer of the Young Turks. Hussein decided to join the Allied camp immediately, because of information that he would soon be deposed as Sharif of Mecca by the Ottoman government in favor of Sharif Ali Haidar , leader of the rival Zaʻid family. The much-publicized executions of the Arab nationalist leaders in Damascus led Hussein to fear for his life if he

15855-474: The last major restoration of the Masjid al-Haram in 1920 and a restoration of the mosques of Palestine and more specifically of al-Aqsa mosque , for which he funded 26,672 liras. Starting from 1917, Hussein made decisions to protect the Armenian refugees and those residing in his lands from the Armenian genocide . First, he condemned the genocide publicly as early as 1916, stating "We specifically bring to

16006-478: The late 18th century, Kuwait was a haven for Basra merchants fleeing Ottoman persecution. Kuwait was the center of boat building in the Persian Gulf, its ships renowned throughout the Indian Ocean . Its sailors developed a positive reputation in the Persian Gulf. In the 19th century, Kuwait became significant in the horse trade , with regular shipments in sailing vessels. In the mid 19th century, it

16157-469: The late 1920s. International trading was one of Kuwait's main sources of income before oil. Kuwait's merchants were mostly intermediary merchants. As a result of the decline of European demand for goods from India and Africa, Kuwait's economy suffered. The decline in international trade resulted in an increase in gold smuggling by Kuwait's ships to India. Some local merchant families became rich from this smuggling. Kuwait's pearl industry also collapsed as

16308-622: The latter threatened another attack if the Kuwaiti forces did not surrender. The local merchant class convinced Salim to call in help from British troops, who showed up with airplanes and three warships, ending the attacks. After the Battle of Jahra, Ibn Saud's warriors, the Ikhwan , demanded that Kuwait follows five rules: evict all the Shias , adopt the Ikhwan doctrine , label the Turks " heretics ", abolish smoking, munkar and prostitution, and destroy

16459-399: The leading figure behind whom the pan-Arabs rallied, and is therefore frequently regarded as the father of pan-Arabism . During World War I , Hussein initially remained allied with the Ottomans but began secret negotiations with the British on the advice of his son, Abdullah , who had served in the Ottoman parliament up to 1914 and was convinced that it was necessary to separate from

16610-570: The local cults. "Ikaros" was also the name of a prominent city situated in Failaka. Large Hellenistic forts and Greek temples were uncovered. Archaeological remains of Greek colonization were also discovered in Akkaz, Umm an Namil, and Subiya. At the time of Alexander the Great, the mouth of the Euphrates River was located in northern Kuwait. The Euphrates river flowed directly into

16761-558: The members of the exiled Ottoman dynasty to prevent them from being ruined. Despite his complicated financial and economic situation, he provided them with 2400 liras. The claim to the title was recognized by a large part of the Hejazi, Levantine and more generally Arabic Muslim population. He also received the support of Mehmed VI , on March 18, 1924, one of the last Ottoman Caliphs and the last Ottoman Sultan , according to The Times and Vatan , that reported that he supported him as

16912-464: The military threat was perceived to be reduced, Britain continued to monitor the situation and kept forces available to protect Kuwait until 1971. There had been no Iraqi military action against Kuwait at the time: this was attributed to the political and military situation within Iraq which continued to be unstable. A treaty of friendship between Iraq and Kuwait was signed in 1963 by which Iraq recognised

17063-531: The new Caliph. Kuwait Kuwait , officially the State of Kuwait , is a country in West Asia . It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the tip of the Persian Gulf , bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south . With a coastline of approximately 500 km (311 mi), Kuwait also shares a maritime border with Iran , across the Persian Gulf. Most of

17214-546: The oldest declaration by a head of state to recognize the Armenian genocide. Alongside this, he gave citizenship to his Armenian subjects. According to survivors of the Armenian genocide, such as Levon Yotnakhparian, Hussein personally received him and was shocked by the news of what was happening. He also supported Armenian survivors and provided men and protection for expeditions in the Syrian desert aimed at rescuing Armenian deportees. According to testimonies, this method

17365-702: The participation of Saudi Arabia , Egypt , Sudan , Jordan and Tunisia . The Jordanian participation included an infantry battalion reinforced by an anti-aircraft platoon and returned home on 13 December 1963. On 13 November 1966, in response to a Fatah land mine incident two days prior, Israeli forces raided the Palestinian village of Samu (in the Muhafazat of Hebron) with an infantry brigade reinforced by two tank battalions and supported by artillery and combat aircraft. The Jordanian army suffered 16 dead, as well as material damages. In 1965, King Hussein ordered

17516-572: The peoples of Mesopotamia and Neolithic Eastern Arabia , including Bahra 1 and site H3 in Subiya . The Neolithic inhabitants of Kuwait were among the world's earliest maritime traders. One of the world's earliest reed boats was discovered at site H3 dating back to the Ubaid period. Other Neolithic sites in Kuwait are located in Khiran and Sulaibikhat . Mesopotamians first settled in

17667-563: The politics and intrigue surrounding the Sharifian court. He also participated in numerous expeditions to the Najd and the eastern regions of Hejaz to meet the Arab tribes, over whom the Sharifate of Mecca then exerted a loose form of control. He learned the customs of the Bedouins , including the skills necessary to withstand the harsh desert environment. During his travels, he also gained

17818-541: The position of Sharif, he gained attention for his independence of thought and was sent back to Constantinople by the reigning uncle at that time in 1892–1893. He remained there for 15 years, until 1908, mainly focusing on raising his children, learning the politics of the Sublime Porte —where he aligned with the conservative faction—and hoping to return home. Following the removal of his predecessor in October and

17969-563: The progressive prohibition of Arabic in teaching, Turkification policies , and the settlement of Turkish colonists in Arab areas worried and frightened Arabs throughout the empire. In 1908, the Hejaz Railway was completed, allowing the Turks to strengthen their control over the Hejaz and provide a rapid response capability to reinforce their garrisons in Mecca and Medina . It

18120-413: The raids among the tribal groups and deterring the raids from the outside. By the eve of World War II, the legion had been expanded to a force of about 1,600 men. This legion took part in operations in Syria during the war. Independent companies were established in addition to a regular battalion, which was later expanded to become the 1st Brigade. In 1942, the 2nd battalion was formed, which later became

18271-531: The region encompassing southern Mesopotamia, Characene coins were discovered in Akkaz, Umm an Namil, and Failaka. A busy Parthian commercial station was situated in Kuwait. In 224 AD, Kuwait became part of the Sassanid Empire . At the time of the Sassanid Empire, Kuwait was known as Meshan , which was an alternative name of the kingdom of Characene. Akkaz was a Partho - Sassanian site;

18422-706: The remnants of the Yildirim Army Group and ultimately taking Aleppo on the 25 of October 1918 , thus ending the war on that front. The US State Department quotes an aide-mémoire dated 24 October 1917 given by the Arab Bureau to the American Diplomatic Agency in Cairo confirming that "...Britain, France and Russia agreed to recognize the Sherif as lawful independent ruler of the Hejaz and to use

18573-498: The south covering the route into Saudi Arabia. In 1996, the Jordanian Army finally established a Special Operations Command, the brain-child of Abdullah (then a serving Army officer). It is tasked to deal with a possible Palestinian uprising and the growth of Islamic terrorism. This powerful force now includes the 71st and 101st Special Force Battalions, the 81st and 91st Paracommando Battalions and both electronic warfare and helicopter support units." The army's organizational structure

18724-543: The subject of Palestine. In January and February 1918, Hussein received the Hogarth Message and Bassett Letter in response to his requests for an explanation of the Balfour Declaration and Sykes-Picot Agreement respectively. Despite their explanations, he stated that Palestine should be included within the borders of the newly founded Arab Kingdom and should refuse Zionist settlers, even if he

18875-588: The sudden death of his successor shortly thereafter, Hussein was appointed grand sharif by official decree of the sultan Abdul Hamid II in November 1908. However, the situation was peculiar for Hussein, who arrived in Mecca in the midst of the Young Turk Revolution , which brought the Young Turks (CUP) to power. Upon his arrival, he met CUP representatives who greeted him as the "Constitutional Sharif," intending to gauge his response to such

19026-450: The summer heat caused the government to move it). At the time, Kuwait was considered the most developed country in the region. Kuwait was the pioneer in the Middle East in diversifying its earnings away from oil exports. The Kuwait Investment Authority is the world's first sovereign wealth fund. Kuwaiti society embraced liberal and non-traditional attitudes throughout the 1960s and 1970s. For example, most Kuwaiti women did not wear

19177-483: The territories he managed to reconquer according to Bedouin and Sharifian norms, as previously. This led to a rupture between the two commanders, and Hussein decided to withdraw from 'Asir after having pursued the defeated Idrisid forces for some time. It seems that this campaign had a very negative impact on how Hussein viewed the Ottoman presence and actions in the Levant, and it is possible that from this moment on, he

19328-420: The title of "King of the Hejaz" when addressing him, and a note to this effect was handed to him on December 10, 1916". When Hussein declared himself King of the Hejaz , he also declared himself King of the Arab lands ( malik bilad-al-Arab ). This only aggravated his conflict with Abdulaziz ibn Saud , which was already present because of their differences in religious beliefs and with whom he had fought before

19479-533: The two countries ensued after Kuwait increased its oil production by 40 percent. Tensions between the two countries increased further in July 1990, after Iraq complained to OPEC claiming that Kuwait was stealing its oil from a field near the border by slant drilling of the Rumaila field . In August 1990, Iraqi forces invaded and annexed Kuwait without any warning. After a series of failed diplomatic negotiations,

19630-402: The veil covering the Kaaba and turned out to be a potent propaganda weapon for the Hashemites, who portrayed the Ottomans as desecrating Islam's most holy site. Hashemite forces in Mecca were joined by Egyptian troops sent by the British, who provided much needed artillery support, and took Mecca on 9 July 1916. Also on 10 June, another of Hussein's sons, the Emir Abdullah , attacked Ta'if ,

19781-456: The victory of the Ikhwan forces and leading to the battle of Jahra around the Kuwait Red Fort. The Battle of Jahra happened as the result of the Battle of Hamdh . A force of three to four thousand Ikhwan , led by Faisal Al-Dawish , attacked the Red Fort at Al-Jahra, defended by fifteen hundred men. The fort was besieged and the Kuwaiti position precarious The Ikhwan attack repulsed for the while, negotiations began between Salim and Al-Dawish;

19932-459: The war, the Arabs found themselves freed from centuries of Ottoman rule. Hussein's son Faisal was made King of Syria , but this kingdom proved short-lived, as the Middle East came under mandate rule of France and the United Kingdom. The British Government subsequently made Faisal and his brother Abdullah kings of Iraq and Transjordan , respectively. Starting at the end of the war, Hussein found himself in severe conflict with Britain's views on

20083-418: The wife of Ali, would have been a Circassian . He belonged to the Dhawu Awn clan of the Abadilah, a branch of the Banu Qatadah tribe. The Banu Qatadah had ruled the Sharifate of Mecca since the accession of their ancestor Qatadah ibn Idris in 1201 and were the last of the four branches of Hashemite sharifs who, together, had governed Mecca since the 11th century . In 1827, Muhammad bin Abd al-Mu'in

20234-441: The world . Kuwait was the pioneer in the literary renaissance in the Middle East. In June 1961, Kuwait became independent with the end of the British protectorate and the Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah became Emir of Kuwait . Kuwait's national day , however, is celebrated on 25 February, the anniversary of the coronation of Sheikh Abdullah (it was originally celebrated on 19 June, the date of independence, but concerns over

20385-553: The world's condemnation the atrocities committed against the Greeks and Armenians, atrocities that our holy law can only disapprove of". In this regard, he promulgated in 1917, in a decree: "In the name of Most Merciful Allah and our prophet Muhammad, we are addressing our Arab brothers (...) to take Armenian refugees in their families, to share with them their belongings – camels, food, shelter, blankets – and share everything that you have in excess, and everything that you can give to people." In April 1918, as part of his conquest of

20536-480: The worship of Shamash , the Mesopotamian sun god in the Babylonian pantheon. Following the Fall of Babylon , the bay of Kuwait came under the control of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550‒330 BC) as the bay was repopulated after seven centuries of abandonment. Failaka was under the control of the Achaemenid Empire as evidenced by the archaeological discovery of Achaemenid strata. There are Aramaic inscriptions that testify Achaemenid presence. In fourth century BC,

20687-422: Was invaded by the Saudis . His Caliphate was opposed by the British and French empires, the Zionists and the Wahhabis alike. However, he received support from a large part of the Muslim population of that time and from Mehmed VI . He is usually considered as the father of modern pan-Arabism . In 1908, in the aftermath of the Young Turk Revolution , Hussein was appointed Sharif of Mecca by

20838-414: Was already on the verge of rebellion. Although there is no formal evidence suggesting that Hussein bin Ali was inclined towards Arab nationalism before 1916, the rise of Turkish nationalism towards the end of the Ottoman Empire , culminating in the Young Turks Revolution of 1908 , strongly displeased the Hashemites and Bedouins . Additionally, the increasing centralization of the Ottoman Empire ,

20989-407: Was an Arab leader from the Banu Qatadah branch of the Banu Hashim clan who was the Sharif and Emir of Mecca from 1908 and, after proclaiming the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire , King of the Hejaz , even if he refused this title, from 1916 to 1924. He proclaimed himself Caliph after the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924 and stayed in power until 1925 when Hejaz

21140-427: Was appointed as the Sharif, becoming the first Sharif of the Dhawu Awn branch and ending the centuries-long dominance of the Dhawu Zayd. He reigned until 1851, when he was replaced by Sharif Abd al-Muttalib ibn Ghalib of the Dhawu Zayd. After being deposed, he sent his family and sons to reside in the Ottoman capital of Constantinople . It was there that Hussein was born to Muhammad's son, Ali, in 1853–1854. Muhammad

21291-405: Was being conducted by al-Idrisi forces and where Suleiman Pasha, the Ottoman governor of the city, was entrenched. Overall, he was able to defeat the opposing forces. However, during this campaign, he seems to have been shocked by the violence of the Ottoman troops against the revolted and had a heated dispute with the Ottoman governor of Abha, Suleiman Pasha, after he began wanting to administer

21442-446: Was built under constant threat of Arab raids, such as those from the Harb tribe , which demonstrated their hostility towards the project. Furthermore, in April 1915, the Ottoman government began a policy of extermination of the minorities in the Ottoman Empire through various genocides . This frightened the Arabs , who were the largest minority in the Empire, and was openly criticized by Hussein bin Ali. These oppositions with

21593-460: Was buried as a Caliph in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. Hussein bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Abd al-Mu'in bin Awn was born in Constantinople in 1853 or 1854. He was the eldest son of Sharif Ali bin Muhammad, who is the second son of Muhammad bin Abd al-Mu'in , the former Sharif of Mecca . As a member of the Hashemite dynasty , he was a descendant of Muhammad in the 37th generation through his grandson Hasan bin Ali . His mother, Salah Bani-Shahar,

21744-433: Was deposed in favour of Ali Haidar. The revolt proper began on 10 June 1916, when Hussein proclaimed the independence of the Kingdom of Hejaz and ordered his supporters to attack the Ottoman garrison in Mecca. In the Battle of Mecca , there ensued over a month of bloody street fighting between the out-numbered, but far better armed Ottoman troops and Hussein's tribesmen. Indiscriminate Ottoman artillery fire, set fire to

21895-461: Was diverted to Kuwait in 1792. The East India Company secured the sea routes between Kuwait, India and the east coasts of Africa. After the Persians withdrew from Basra in 1779, Kuwait continued to attract trade away from Basra. The flight of many of Basra's leading merchants to Kuwait continued to play a significant role in Basra's commercial stagnation well into the 1850s. The instability in Basra helped foster economic prosperity in Kuwait. In

22046-408: Was estimated that Kuwait exported an average of 800 horses to India annually. In 1899, ruler Sheikh Mubarak Al Sabah signed an agreement with the British government in India (subsequently known as the Anglo-Kuwaiti Agreement of 1899 ) making Kuwait a British protectorate . This gave Britain exclusive access and trade with Kuwait, while denying Ottoman and Germany provinces to the north a port on

22197-436: Was fought in Kuwait. As a result of Rashidun victory in 636 AD, the bay of Kuwait was home to the city of Kazma (also known as "Kadhima" or "Kāzimah") in the early Islamic era. In the early to mid 1700s, Kuwait City was a small fishing village . Administratively, it was a sheikhdom, ruled by local sheikhs from Bani Khalid clan. Sometime in the mid 1700s, the Bani Utbah settled in Kuwait City. Sometime after

22348-421: Was in contact with British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey throughout, and Grey was to authorise and be ultimately responsible for the correspondence. The British Secretary of State for War , Field Marshal Lord Kitchener , appealed to him for assistance in the conflict on the side of the Triple Entente . Starting in 1915, as indicated by an exchange of letters with Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry McMahon ,

22499-407: Was ready to accept Jewish people in Palestine , notably those who already lived there and were not coming from foreign countries. However, even after an assurance by McMahon, Hussein did not receive the lands promised by their British allies. McMahon claimed that the proposed lands to be taken in by the new Arab State were not purely Arab. In actuality, McMahon refused to hand over the new lands as

22650-469: Was reinstated to power in 1856, and Hussein, then two or three years old, accompanied his father and grandfather to Mecca . Muhammad quickly died in 1858 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Sharif Abdullah Pasha, Hussein's uncle. He returned to Mecca after his father's death, at a young age, when his uncle Sharif Abdullah called them back, with his mother in 1861–1862. Hussein was raised at home, unlike other Hashemite youth who were typically sent outside

22801-413: Was traditionally based on two armoured divisions and two mechanized divisions. These have been transformed into a lighter, more mobile forces, based largely on a brigade structure and considered more capable of rapid reaction in emergencies. Due to the critical position of Jordan (sandwiched between Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Israel), Jordan maintains a strong defensive army, with four regional commands,

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