Defence against Iraq

This file contains correspondence relating to:

• Incident arising from Operation Vantage, involving the alleged theft of foodstuff from Raudhatain Camp by British troops from the 11th Hussars (1)
• Need to amend the Existing Threat Paper to bring it into line with the present situation between Iraq and Kuwait. It also includes a summary of a meeting which discussed issues including the Shaiba Airfield and the Iraqi Air Force's ability to strike Bahrain and Kuwait; the Kurds; and the Arab League Security Force (2)
• Need to reassess the Iraqi threat to Kuwait as a result of the revolution (3)
• Report in Al Talia asserting that Britain planned to station its first Polaris submarine in the Indian Ocean, without the permission of the United States, in order to defend interests in Kuwait (4)
• Britain's assessment that the Iraqi Army is unlikely to have the capacity to attack Kuwait for at least four months and that Iraq is likely to rely on moral pressure through calls of Arab nationalism, neutralism and anti-imperialism (5)
• Agreement in principle between Egypt, Syria and Iraq to form an Arab Federal Union and its expected political repercussions in Kuwait. J C B Richmond questions whether it is more important for Britain to protect Kuwait politically or militarily (6)
• Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's enquiry about the state of readiness of Britain's Kuwaiti forces and his suggestion that defence arrangements be reconsidered in light of the political situation (7-8)
• Kuwait enquiry about the possibility of US military support (9)