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I RAQ ’ S H ISTORY TO 1990 53

annexed to his country. He argued that the League of Nations should have included that territory in the nation of Iraq in 1923, since it had been part of the Basra province under the Ottoman Empire. Qasim further argued that the British had deliberately sep- arated it from Iraq to block Iraq’s access to the Persian Gulf. The British, fearing that Qasim would seize Iraq’s defenseless neighbor, sent troops to Kuwait. The Arab League, to show its oppo- sition to Qasim’s claims, admitted Kuwait as a member. By the end of the summer, troops from the Arab League replaced the British soldiers. As a result, Iraq broke off diplomatic relations with many Arab countries. This unsuccessful attempt by Qasim to acquire Kuwait further weakened his reputation within the Iraqi army and his authority as leader of Iraq. In spite of his disfavor within the army, Qasim became popular

A July 1958 coup toppled the Iraqi monarchy and brought Colonel Abd al-Salam Arif (left) and General Abd al-Karim Qasim (right) to power. The two soon had a falling-out, however, and Qasim ordered his rival arrested.