ABSTRACT
The historical development of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO) had three distinct political phases. The first was characterised by its ‘provincial-local’ approach in which the ’Imamate War can be included; the second saw the dominance of ‘revolutionary theory’, i.e. the aspiration to extend the revolution from Dhofar to Kuwait, thus including a whole vital area of world oil production. The third phase could be described as ‘containment’ of the revolution within Oman proper, dictated by the experiences of the previous two phases. The second force instrumental in shaping the future of the revolution in Oman was the Arab Nationalist Movement (ANM), acting through its Gulf Branch; and to a far lesser extent the Ba’th Party. By 1964, the ANM’s Gulf Branch, after holding an internal meeting in Beirut, decided to adopt the strategy of launching armed struggle in Dhofar.
