On August 2, 1990, Kuwaitis awoke to a treacherous invasion, a calamity that marked a generation. Thirty-six years later, the Middle East remains a perilous neighborhood, according to Arab press commentary, still grappling with expansionist ambitions and the threat of war. The desire to dominate beyond one's borders continues to pose an existential challenge to states across the Gulf.
One article, published in Asharq al-Awsat, UK, on August 2, highlighted how the region's conflicts have merged into a single, complex struggle. The brutal Iran-Iraq War, which ended after eight years, left deep wounds and inflicted direct economic and political harm on Kuwait multiple times. Kuwait had been among the states pressing for greater Gulf unity, leading to the birth of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Abu Dhabi in its forty-fifth year, 1981.
Iraq's leadership, carried by arrogance, made calculations that quickly proved catastrophic. Saddam Hussein invaded a peaceful neighboring country, believing the occupation could gradually become an accepted political fact. The seven months of occupation were described as black in every sense, yet they also revealed the strength of Kuwaiti national cohesion.
Gulf states treated the aggression as an attack on themselves, receiving Kuwaitis forced from their homes and mobilizing to end the occupation, with Riyadh at the forefront. The central truth was that the Gulf regarded the invasion as a matter of collective security. Kuwait's late Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 27, 1990, marking its thirty-fifth anniversary.
The assembly rose and applauded for several minutes after his speech. He stated he had come carrying the message of a people who loved peace, worked for it, and then saw their security and stability violated. The Emir spoke of a future where invaders would inevitably leave, and Kuwaitis would return to their country as a home of safety and security.
Iraqi forces set Kuwait's oil wells ablaze before retreating, transforming daylight into night with smoke and the smell of fire. The aggressor fled, and Kuwait remained, an outcome achieved only through the sacrifice of a people who rejected occupation, a leadership that upheld the state's legitimacy, Gulf solidarity, and Arab and international support. This support came from those who understood that permitting one independent state to swallow another would have catastrophic consequences.
The Scars of Occupation
The purpose of remembering was not to revive hatred but to strengthen sovereignty and Gulf solidarity, as dangers had changed in appearance but not in essence. The region had not become safer; faces had changed, but the impulse to expand remained. The nation-state was still threatened whenever one party believed force gave it the right to determine the fate of others. Today, the article noted, Houthis send drones toward Saudi Arabia and threaten to close Bab al-Mandab, while other forces of evil launch their own attacks, and sectarian arrogance still thrives.
Reclaiming Sovereignty
In a separate development, President Joseph Aoun's visit to Ankara on August 1, 2026, the same week, signaled Lebanon's effort to broaden its network of regional and international partners. This move aims to restore sovereignty, strengthen security, and revive the economy amidst a recast balance of power in the Middle East, according to an article in Nida Al-Watan, Lebanon. His meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan laid foundations for a new phase in Lebanese-Turkish relations.
The visit's importance was underscored by its timing, as Lebanon enters a delicate period with ongoing international efforts to stabilize its south and consider arrangements following the eventual end of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's mission. President Erdogan announced Turkey's readiness to participate in any new international security framework intended to support Lebanon's security and protect its sovereignty, alongside continued Turkish assistance to the Lebanese Army. This reflects Ankara's desire to play a larger role in stabilizing the Eastern Mediterranean and offers Lebanon greater room to diversify its security partnerships beyond the logic of rival blocs.
Politically, the visit allowed President Aoun to seek Turkish support for Lebanon's position demanding the completion of Israel's withdrawal. Lebanon also seeks the restoration of state authority over all Lebanese territory and the strengthening of its army as the only legitimate institution entrusted with protecting borders and maintaining security. Closer coordination with Turkey, a country with influential ties with regional powers including Syria, could potentially open the door to a Turkish contribution on border issues and displaced populations.
Economically, Turkey, one of the region's largest economies, possesses substantial expertise in infrastructure, energy, ports, transport, industry, and tourism. Revitalized economic relations could attract new Turkish investment, expand trade, and encourage private companies to participate in reconstruction, creating jobs and stimulating a Lebanese economy in urgent need of long-term partners. Cooperation in ports and logistics could also improve Lebanon's position within the Eastern Mediterranean trade network.
Diplomatically, the visit confirmed President Aoun's approach since his election: diversifying Lebanon's foreign partnerships rather than confining them to a single axis. After opening to the United States, Arab states, and France, Ankara added another dimension to Lebanese foreign policy, strengthening Beirut's ability to rally support for its core priorities: stability, renewed confidence in the economy, and stronger state institutions. Strategically, the visit reflected Lebanon's understanding of the region's geopolitical transformation, with Turkey becoming a central actor in security, energy, transportation, and reconstruction.
A stronger relationship gives Lebanon another channel to regional and international decision-making centers, enhancing its chances of benefiting from major economic projects expected in the years ahead. The joint press conference revealed a clear desire by both leaderships to elevate relations toward a more ambitious partnership based on trust and practical cooperation. President Aoun stressed that the next phase required effective partnerships capable of helping Lebanon regain its natural regional role, consistent with his vision of a strong state with full sovereignty and functioning institutions. The Ankara visit was a calculated step within a wider diplomatic strategy to reposition Lebanon in the region and secure political, security, and economic backing for the reconstruction of the state.