IHE GUIF WAR: AU STRALIA'S ROLE AND ASIAN- PACIFIC RESPONSES PCrS On Defencc J. MOHAN MALIK CANBERRA PAPERS ON STRATEGY AND DEFENCE NO.9O THE GULF WAR: AUSTITALIA'S ROLE AND ASIAN- PACIFIC RESPONSES Mohan Malik J. Published by Strategic and Defence Studies Centre Researdt School of Pacific Studies The Austrdlan Natlond UntversttY Canberra, Australia 1992 I hinted and Publislredln Australta at the Augualian Nadonal University 192 @ I.MohanMaUklgg2 thls book b copyrtght. Apart from any hir dealing for the purposes of Pdvate study,- researcrh, slticisur, or review as petnitt€d und€r the Gopyrfght Act, no Part may be rcproduced by any process without wdtten Pembsion. lnqulrte3 ihouldbemade to the Frblisher. Nadonal lJbrary of Ausualla Cataloping-in-Publication entsy Mali&I. Mohan (lagMohan), r95& The Gulf War: Ausbalia's role and Adan-Padffc responses. Bibliography. lsBN 0 7315 1369X l. Ira+KuwaitCrisls,lgg0-1991 -Parddpadon,Ausbalan' 2. PerdanGulfWar, 191 ' Parddipador, Australian. 3. Austnlt - Fordgnretadons-Asia. 4. Ada' Fordgr reladoirs - Auskatia. 5. AusEalla - Fore{gn publtc opnlon, Aslan. I. Australlan Nadonal Unlversity. StrateglcandDdenceStudies a:€nE€. U. Title. (Serles : Canbcrra pap€G on stsat€gy and defence; no'90). 3Z7.gAE Series Editor Hden Hookey Designed by Qutntun ldeas Bureau Printed by Panther Publishing and Printing hrblished and disdbuted by: Shategic and Delence Sh,ldies CenEe, Researdr School of Pacific Studies, lhe Ausbalian Na tiond Univecsity. GPO Box 4, Canbqra, ACl,2fil, Awbalia. Telephone (06) 2493690, FAX nat. 06 2460E16 lnt€nut 616 24EtE16 C-over photograph cturtesy of Rl{N Rrblic Relat'rons. Photognpher: ABPHOT Cameron ABSTRACT This shrdy examines the responses of Asian-Pacific countries to Australia's roG in the Gulf crisis and other related issues (such as the role of the United Nations in the post{old War era, the New world order, and the prospects for collective security in-the Asia- Pacific region) in order tb gain an understandinq of- leqtonal perrepUo""s of Australia,s present and fu{re role in the global and Lsioial securitv regimes. Il dernonstrates that the response of Asian- fra?nc countriel b-Australian military commitnent in the Gulf War ranged from ouuight opposition (North_Korea and vietnam) to undlersanding (In-donesii, Malaysia, qt"" and Indid and wholehearted-support (Singapore, itraitan4 the Philippines, Btunei, the South Pacific tbrum states, South Korea, fapan and Sri lanl.")' In the initial stages of the crisis, C-anberra's hasty dispatch of warships following tht US and British lead had the potential- to undenirine Australian attempb to project itself as an independent actor in the Asia-Pacific region. But the formation of a broad anti-Iraqi international coalition and prompt conclusion of the war seemed to vindicate the Aushalian posiuon and rather enhanced its image in some Asian capitals. It can be argued that a longdrawn-out-war or Israeli pa*icipition in the conflict would have exacerbatd latent tensions and highlighted differences between Australian and tndonesian/Malaysian atti hrdes. Though Australia's role in the Gulf did not cause any rift it between Ausftatia and other Asian-Pacific Gountries, once again hiehtighted their different perceptions. Most Asian-Pacific countries do"noishare the Bush-I-trawke peiception of the New World Order and are critical of the role of the-United Nadons during the Gulf crisis. Many Asian statee do not believe that Gulf-style conflict mlnagement strould serve as a model for coping with future regional mnflicts' Canberre Papus on Shategy anil Deferce are a series of monograph publications which arise out of the work of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Research School of Pacific Studies, The Australian National University. Previow Canbma Papers have covered topics such as the relationship of the superpowers, arms confiol at both the superpower and South+ast Asian rqtlonal level, regional shategic reLtionships and maior aspects of Australian defence policy. For a list of those still available refer to the last Pages of this volume. Unless otherwise statd, publicatioru of the Centre are presented without endorsement as contributions to the public record lnd debate. Authors are resPonsible for their own analysis and conclusions. t. Mohan Malik is Lecturer in Defence Shrdies in the Faculty 9f !9iat Scimces, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria. He received his PhD from the Australian National University and BA (Honours), MA in Political science and MPhil in chinese studies from the university of Delhi, lndia. From 19E3 to 1986, he studied Chinese language and intemational politics at Beiing university, china, under the student Exchange Programmebetween China and India. He has travelled extensively throughout the Asia-Pacific region as well as Europe and America. He has written numerous ar[ctes on security issues in the Asia-Pacific in refereed researdr joumals, such as Asian Surcey, Arms, C2ntrol, Chiru Rryr!: Cunent Affahs Bulletin, Issua & stuilia,lourrul of Northeast Asian stuilia, Pacific fiefarceReporta, StrategicDigat,and in newspaPers. His research and teaching interests cover strategic studies, arms control, conllict and security issues in the Asia-Pacific, particularly in relation to East Asia and S6uth Asia. He is the author of Chince National Secuity anil Nuclar Arms Control (Oxford University Press, forthcoming). From tanuary 1991 to June 1991, Dr Malik was an Australian Departsnent of Defence Visiting Fellow at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, The Australian National University, Canberra.