Sabah served as ambassador of Kuwait to the United Kingdom from 1975 to 1981.[1] He then served as Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States during the First Gulf War, more specifically from 1981 to 1992.[2] In 1992, he was appointed information minister and served in the post until March 1998.[2] He was oil minister from March 1998 to 2000.[1] He resigned from the post due to an explosion that killed five workers at the country's largest oil refinery.[3]
He forced a false testimony from his then 15-year-old daughter Nayirah[4] and was involved with Citizens for a Free Kuwait,[5] a front group established by the Kuwaiti government to promote US involvement in the Gulf War.[6][7] This involvement was covered in the 1992 documentary film To Sell a War.[8]
