RIYADH, Feb 9: The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council announced mobilising and sending the joint “Peninsula Shield Force” to Kuwait “as soon as possible” so as to protect the Gulf state, it was reported on Sunday.

This is for the first time that the peninsula shield force, raised in the aftermath of the Gulf war when the Gulf states had to rely on the US forces to defend themselves, will be mobilised. The basic objective of the force is to protect any of the GCC member state from external threats.

The decision in this respect has been taken in view of the threatening statements by senior Iraqi leaders during the last couple of weeks that Baghdad would have to resort to all means to defend itself against the aggression in case a war was imposed on it.