Buraimi: The Struggle for Power, Influence and Oil in Arabia

by Michael Quentin Morton

Buraimi is an oasis between the mountains and desert of south-eastern Arabia. In the early 20th century it shot to notoriety as oil brought the world's attention to this corner of the Arabian Peninsula. In this exciting account of the conflict Michael Quentin Morton tells the story of how the overwhelming power of oil and the conflicting interests of the declining British Empire and the United States all came to a head shaping the future of the Gulf States.

With colorful additions from firsthand accounts, Morton brings a range of historical figures to life, from the American oilmen arriving in steamy Jedda in the 1930s, to the rival sheikhs of the oasis competing for power, wealth and allegiances as well as the great players in world politics: Churchill, Truman and Ibn Saud. This entertaining, yet thoroughly researched book is both a story of decisive conflict in the history of Middle East politics and also of the great changes that the discovery of oil brought to this otherwise desolate land.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Michael Quentin Morton grew up in Qatar, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in the 1950s and 1960s. He then worked as a barrister until he decided in 2008 to write full time. He has written nine books and many articles on the history of the Middle East. His latest book, "Masters of the Pearl: A History of Qatar" was published in August 2020.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly scholarly and stylish account of the Buraimi Dispute of the 1950s, which given the complexity of the region, oil companies and the personalities involved is an achievement in itself.
In a well-paced gripping narrative beginning with a brief overview of the Trucial States and their relationship with the fledgling Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Morton deftly introduces us to the main players of this drama- the big oil consortiums of ARAMCO and IPC and their respective national loyalties and then the Game of Thrones style fun begins.
Given Mr. Morton’s background, having grown up in Qatar, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in the 1950s and 60s, I was expecting a white-wash in favour of the Gulf Sheikhs, in particular the Al-Nahyan clan of Abu Dhabi, but I was pleasantly surprised. Morton is even-handed in his approach to all parties involved, when having lived in the region myself, the temptation to take sides with certain clans and to be partisan to one’s own nationality is overwhelming.
Younger readers will find the later chapters covering events from the foundation of the UAE to the present day perhaps more interesting- these later chapters certainly answered a lot of unanswered questions I had about the region during my time there.
Other positive points are the overall elegant appearance of the book- it is beautifully printed and bound on thick paper, and has been edited to make each chapter to be roughly of equal length, making what at first appear to be a difficult subject more manageable in easy to digest chunks, with a clear and easy to follow endnote section.
Having looked Mr. Morton up online, he is quite a prolific author on matters Middle Eastern and I look forward to reading more of his work- the downside is, I have a nasty suspicion I may have read his best work first.
Overall Buraimi is a balanced account of a difficult period in British History with a great deal of depth, much heart and even a lot of humour when the facts indicate a laugh is appropriate. A must read for anyone who has lived and worked in the area, or is thinking of living and working in the area.

[Nourah · Rating 3 out of 5]

الكتاب يتحدث عن فترة مهمة من تاريخ الخليج و دور بريطانيا في إيقاف الملك عبدالعزيز رحمه الله من ابتلاع الخليج وضمها للسعودية كونها كانت جزء من الدولة السعودية الأولى . بريطانيا بررت الحدود الخليجية الجديدة بحدود الدولة العثمانية التي ورثتها السعودية الوليدة بمعزل عن حدود الدولة السعودية الأولى ويحتج السعوديين بأنهم لم يكونوا يوما من رعاة تركيا .كانت البريمي الأكثر جدلا ووصلت للتحكيم الدولي بطلب من السعوديين لظن بريطانيا و السعودية بوجود بترول فيها .
يظل الخليج عظيما بعظمة ملوكه وشيوخه فهنا شيء من قبس سيرة الملك عبدالعزيز والملك فيصل و الشيخ زايد رحمهم الله .

[Hamad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book about buraim,i my grand father was one of the incedents makers