File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎93r] (183/450)

there too late and too soon. We did not wait till the Turks had gone well into the
Armenian expedition nor into the Egyptian or the Galician business. And we went to
work with people who knew little of Turkish mentality or drew their conclusions like
some of our youthful authorities on Turkish and Arabian affairs from their own inner
^romantic natures aided by travel and the reading of the Arabian Nights.
The Mesopotamian expedition had a legitimate half that did succeed and
admirably, namely, it was necessary and important to get hold of Basra and
the head waters of the Gulf and such inland positions as made the Shat-el-Arab
a British waterway. But the second part, the move to Bagdad, was useless
even if it succeeded for Bagdad and Erzeroom and Mecca are limbs and not
the heart of Turkey and the modern governing Turk is neither a sentimental nor a
romantic Moslem, but will go on fighting for his German-made ideals, even if such
“ Holv ” limbs are cut off. From the larger point of Moslem sentiment too, I feel that
the ultimate solution of Turkish-Caliphate questions is not much aided or advanced by
amputations of Bagdad or Mecca. So the part of the Mesopotamian expedition that
failed was the illegitimate second half, which was not worth the risks. We must give
a blow much further up, much nearer the heart of the Turkish Empire, if we want to
put the weakest member of the enemy group out of the combat If it is decided later on
to try a knock-out blow or a separate peace—and I again repeat both come to the same thing
in results —-then I place my experience and knowledge, and all I have, entirely and fully at
His Majesty, my master and Emperor’s disposal. Please place my full offer of services
before His Majesty’s Throne’s-steps. I have purposely loitered on in Europe for months
since my return from India because I have not any direct or immediate work now in
India, my affairs there being on sound foundations, and because I think I may have a
chance of serving His Majesty in Turkish affairs, just as happily I was able to do in
Persian affairs last year when the Zil returned, and when at least the governing and
Court lot in Tehran were freed from German influence, and to a certain extent by my
humble writings, and suggestions. Well, if later a real knock-out on Turkey is decided,
I am entirely at your call, or for a separate peace, for I have always held both come to
the same result. I daresay our military and other authorities are as yet too busy
with the Western objectives to give a serious consideration to the weakest point theory,
but if it is ever decided on I am at your call. Half measures are no use. Since
I got your letter, and I saw there is no immediate chance of my being able to serve
the Government, I have postponed my return to England and will go on to Nice and
wait, in case you ever decide on sending for me. I do not like the idea of travelling
for nothing tangible in these days, and of taking up the place of useful voyagers on
Boulogne boats, nor crossing the sea for nothing. Besides, I will take this good chance
of going through a small but long-drawn and neglected operation on on ankle that I
broke playing tennis last summer.
P.S.—I like to make it quite clear that no half-and-half expedition with numbers
that are not overwhelming, and without munition and naval and shipping support of
unprecedented extent, will do any good. To send 100,000 men to Syria or Anatolia Peninsula that forms most of modern-day Turkey. is
useless, for such an expedition will be only a limb cutting, and not a knock-out blow.