The British presence in the Gulf: the genesis of the withdrawal

Introduction


The announcement by Britain January 16, 1968 that his troops
would withdraw from the Persian Gulf to the end of 1971 marked the end of an era 2.
This article analyzes the commitment of the British presence in the Gulf
from its origins to its end in 1971. Based on a dual agenda, the article will first highlight the special nature of British relations with
Gulf states, showing that the UK protected the Gulf States
as political units but refrained from making protectorates in
common sense. Moreover, the treaties with them were
specially designed to make Britain able to control
and conduct their foreign affairs, but never to be placed under
British sovereignty.