THE GULF CRISIS: POLITICO-STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS

This timely analysis examines the ongoing Gulf Crisis following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, assessing its profound politico-strategic and economic implications for the Middle East region and the global international system. The article explores the historical context and immediate triggers of the crisis, analyzing the strategic calculations behind Iraq's actions and the international community's response. The research investigates the transformation of regional power dynamics in the Middle East, examining how the crisis has affected relationships between Arab states, regional powers, and external actors. The study assesses the economic consequences of the crisis, including impacts on global oil markets, financial flows, and economic stability in both oil-producing and oil-importing countries. The article examines the security implications for the Gulf region, including military deployments, alliance formations, and long-term strategic realignments. The research also evaluates the role of international organizations, particularly the United Nations, in managing the crisis and establishing new precedents for collective security. Furthermore, the analysis considers potential resolution scenarios and their implications for post-crisis regional order.

The Gulf Crisis of 1990 represented one of the most significant international crises of the post-Cold War period, with this article providing a comprehensive analysis of its politico-strategic and economic implications as events were unfolding. The research begins by examining the historical context of the crisis, analyzing the complex relationship between Iraq and Kuwait, regional power dynamics following the Iran-Iraq war, and the changing global context after the Cold War. The analysis explores the strategic calculations behind Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, assessing how Saddam Hussein's regime perceived opportunities and constraints in the emerging post-Cold War international system. The article investigates the international response to the crisis, examining how the United States, Soviet Union, European powers, and regional actors coordinated their diplomatic and military actions through unprecedented United Nations cooperation. The study assesses the economic dimensions of the crisis, analyzing the impact on global oil markets, the functioning of OPEC, financial flows to developing countries, and economic stability in oil-importing nations including those in South Asia. The research examines the security implications for the Gulf region, including massive military deployments, emerging security architectures, and long-term strategic relationships between regional states and external powers. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article analyzes potential resolution scenarios and their implications for regional stability, international law enforcement, and the emerging post-Cold War world order. The findings provide valuable insights into how the first major crisis of the new international era was testing established frameworks of international relations and security management.