Oman and the Arabian OIL WAR IN OMAN

The eight-year war in

Gulf has entered a new phase with a frank admission by the

country's British Defence Minister that it cannot be won militarily.

The war is a s truggle between the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman and the Arabian Gulf (PFLOAG) and the Sultan of Oman, who is backed by the imperialist powers.

PFLUAG is a leIt-wing liberation movement which stands for the overthrow of all the reactionary feudal rulers of the Gulf States.

These rulers are kept in power by the oil magnates who profit from the natural riches of this desert area. The British and American oil companies with interests in the Gulf want at all costs to prevent the spread of revolution.

British imperialism originally created the Gulf States with the purpose of grabbing strategic positions along the route to India.

Once oil was discovered in their territory the preservation of the servile rulers who owed their positions to British military strength became all important.

Britain pulled out of the Gulf over a year ago, because the government feared direct involvement of British troops would compromise the rulers of the Gulf States and lead to their speedy overthrow.

But these rulers, like Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman, are unable to exist in genuine independence.

Not only are they • dependent on continued handouts from the oil companies, they also require military assistance from the imperialist powers and their agents in the area.

This explains the presence in Oman of British officers, among them Colonel Hugh Oldman, the Defence Minister.

The war in Oman has been described as 'Brit down to its desert boots'. British officers are hired as mercenaries and detachments of such 'crack' units as the Special Air Service the Gulf for training,8o to the Gulf for The British are not the only contingent involved. Among other units are 600 troops from neighbouring Iran, equipped with helicopters and the latest armaments.

There are 100 officers from Pakistan-which, like lran, 1s a member of CENTC -and another ultra-reactionary Islamic state, Jordan, has sent officers too.

Oldman, however, has indicated that the war cannot be won on the ground. He said as much in a Press conference on January 26. Increased strength At this conference the colonel contradicted the previous excuses put out by the regime to explain the course of the He admitted that the liberation forces' strength and popularity had increased since Sultan Qaboos ousted Sultan Bin Taimur in 1970.

The regime had previously claimed that Taimur's incompetence and 'mistakes' were responsible for the Oman uprising.

He added that even the children had begun to join in the struggle, throwing stones or hand grenades at the Sultan's troops following Taimur's departure.

Again, Oldman said that until recently the government had not been in control of the situation.

This contradicted what the previous Defence Minister (another British officer) said Oll fleld in Oman. British forces maintain the Sultan's regime to protect British and American oil Interests. at the time, not to mention the numerous newspaper reports paid for by the Sultan's Press adviser.

These uniformly maintained that the rebels were finished. At one point the Sultan's PR men claimed there were only six rebels left.

Oldman dated the 'turn of the tide' to the battle of Morbat last yeat, forgetting that the Sultan himself claimed before this battle that only a small number of rebels were left in the hills.

Now, the Oldman line that here is quick to admit, will never be won militarily.

"They say the object of the drilling project to find water the road passed through the territory of the various insurgent tribes.

Qaboos' attempt at winning support locally looks like being too late. The revolt has spread from Dhofar in the