70. Message From Foreign Secretary Home to Secretary of State Rusk0
I have not communicated with you before about the Kuwait crisis because we had been hoping to get some clearer indications of whether an Iraqi military move is likely. Kassem is so nearly mad that military action cannot be excluded, but we have no evidence that preparations are taking place.
As you know, last time that our two Governments were preparing military movements in the area, after the Iraqi revolution in July 1958, Foster Dulles and Selwyn Lloyd were in the closest touch about the action which we might take separately or together. Caccia will no doubt discuss all this with you and give you our information. We have an absolute obligation to help the Ruler if Kuwait is attacked and, as this is an area the security of which is of immense importance to both of us, I hope we could act with the closest cooperation.
What a world it is!1
- Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, UK Officials Correspondence with Secretary Rusk vol. 2. Top Secret. Transmitted under cover of a note from Lord Hood, Minister of the British Embassy, to Secretary Rusk.↩
- After delivering this message, First Secretary of the British Embassy Denis J. Speares met with Meyer and elaborated upon what the United Kingdom was seeking from the United States regarding Kuwait as follows: “such public and moral support as might be required should the UK feel required to support Kuwait militarily; and b) possible US association with a military move in Kuwait along the lines of a US–UK ‘study’ of two years ago which envisaged roughly 90 per cent UK participation and 10 per cent US participation.” (Ibid., Central Files, 786D.5/6–2861)↩