KUWAIT: "Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah - The Transformation of Kuwait" authored by Dr Souad M Al-Sabah was issued in the English language to celebrate the anniversary of this Sheikh who was one of the most significant figures of Kuwait and who led the Gulf state to modernity. Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah was largely responsible for the creation of Kuwaiti defense forces and made it priority to see Kuwait national interest in the face of the British, American and Iranian pressures during crucial period of change.
"The inspiration for this book came to my mind in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990," Dr Souad Al-Sahah wrote in her preface to the book, which is published by "I B Taurbis". "The ordeal left a lasting impact on my thinking. It brought home to me the importance of documenting the modern history of my country, which I felt as a sort of moral and ethical duty. I was an insider to many events that I thought should be brought to light," she added.
She pointed out that "this book is not a compilation of personal memories and recollections. I studied carefully almost all previous works in Arabic and English on Kuwait during the lifetime of sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah and I interviewed a lot of people who worked with him or served under his command." Dr Souad Al-Sabah researched British, American, and Kuwaiti archives to compile the facts in this book. The book focuses on the life and history of sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah, who was a prominent Kuwaiti statesman. He served as Deputy Ruler of Kuwait during most of the 1950s until his resignation in 1961.
These times were characterized by rapid social change; a traditional society was shaken from its roots under the impact of the newly founded oil wealth-and during that decade. The book analyses the role of Abdullah's quality of leadership makes a difference, especially in times of turmoil and uncertainty. "I have tried to underline the role of the sheikh in dealing with the accelerated changes that swept Kuwait in all walks of life during that period. At times he initiated the changes, and at others he steered Kuwait and its people into a safe haven," Souad Al-Sabah continued saying in her preface.
Strength of his role
The strength of his role stemmed from three major sources: first, he enjoyed distinguished status within the ruling Al-Sabah family - he was the only living son of Sheikh Mubarak the Great (Mubarak Al-Kabir), the founder of the state (reigned 1896-1915). Thus, he was "uncle" of all rulers and dignitaries of Kuwait from 1915 onwards. Second, over the years, Sheikh Abdullah was trained in different administrative, security and political positions. When he was 14 years old he was tasked with administrating one of the "gates" of Kuwait. At that time Kuwait was surrounded by a number of gates that were kept open during daylight and closed by night. Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak fought smuggling, protected the borders and preserved law and order. The book records many details about his role and responsibilities.
Third, in the 1950s, he assumed the position of Deputy Ruler and developed excellent working relations with the ruling Sheikh for home he acted as trusted right-hand man. Although Sheikh Addullah Mubarak grew up in the desert and maintained great respect for Bedouin culture and traditions, he understood the need for change. This book demonstrates how he was a pioneer in accepting new ideas and ways of doing things. He spoke out to encourage girls' education and initiated plans to establish a Kuwaiti university. He encouraged young people to enjoy modern sports. Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak built institutions in which the book states in great details how he had a role the fields of security, army, civil aviation, education, broadcasting and non-governmental associations.- KUNA