Borders in the Middle East were quite fluid - and, to a certain extent, they still are. So, as the Ottoman Empire collapsed, could the Kuwaitis have ended up with control of the region around the Ghawar field? Putting them, no the Saudis, in control of one of the best oil fields in the entire world? And, if so, what might be different? Other than losing in their conflict with Kuwait around that time, the Saudis would likely be relatively unscathed - though perhaps the hit to their prestige alone might hinder them - and likely would still be in charge of Mecca and Medina.
WI: Ghawar Field under Kuwaiti Jurisdiction?
- Thread starter DominusNovus
- Start date
The Ghawar oil fields are something like 200 miles from our timeline's Kuwaiti-Saudi border. Unless the Kuwaitis have some kind of direct ethnic or historical links to the area I can't see why the British would do it, and even then they might still decide to support the Al Sauds at the time. I would have thought one of the neighbouring states expanding into the area would be more likely, or another dynasty like the Rashidis displaces them entirely.
Wouldn’t this annexation give Kuwait a Shia majority population? That seems like a recipe for causing major issues for the regime, even with the oil revenue.
As for the impact on the Saudis, in a timeline where they don’t control Ghawar, they probably wouldn’t have the strength to annex Mecca either and would end up just stewing away in the middle of an increasingly uninhabitable desert.
As for the impact on the Saudis, in a timeline where they don’t control Ghawar, they probably wouldn’t have the strength to annex Mecca either and would end up just stewing away in the middle of an increasingly uninhabitable desert.
Last edited: