“Out of these troubled times … a new world order can emerge. A new era freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice and more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, east and west, north and south, can prosper and live in harmony.”

These fine words were addressed by President George Bush Snr to the US Congress on the eve of the first Gulf War 25 years ago.

Soon afterwards, British forces joined the US to sweep their erstwhile ally Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait, restoring power to a semi-feudal kleptocracy which kept women down and superexploited an immigrant labour force.