'File 61/14 XV (D 62) Relations between Nejd and Iraq (Akhwan Rebellion)' [‎280v] (570/595)

to think, Ibn Sand would have had some justification for feeling that whilp h ,
action of His Majesty's Government did not constitute a breach of fa'ith if w*!
inconsistent with their former professions of friendship and implied a chanw f
attitude 1 am certain that he would have gone back to Nejd completely antaeoni^H
o speak ot the terms arranged as capitulation seemed to me to ignore the mei
relaUons existing between ITis Majesty's Government and Ibn Sand. Had he dr.nA
oh to ^ejd without the rebel leaders being handed over to him, what would L vp
)een the position ? It would not have been possible permanently to stop the rehpl
Mutair and Ajman from returning to Nejd territory, which is their home- Ibn SanH
tt ould thus have been provided with a weapon ready to his hand, and, thouo-h if is
tue that these tribes would have been deprived of their principal leaders & othpr<
\vould ,iave been forthcoming, and, with Ibn Saud in hostile mood and these tribes
again at his disposal, I think there would have been a strong probabilitv of a'
lecrudescence of organised raiding all along the border in the near future. It is
0 course, possible that Ibn Saud may not fulfil his undertakings, though personallv
believe that he intends to do so, and that organised raiding under his orders and
with his encouragement will cease for at any rate some time to come; but I do think
that the risk of organised raiding is very much less now than it would have been
on baud returned to Nejd with what he would have considered a definite
grievance against His Majesty's Government. I have stressed the expression
organised raiding , that petty cattle-lifting raids may occur from time to time is
of course, possible; they are more or less in the nature of a local pastime and of
unportance, and are totally different matters to organised raiding carried out
with the encouragement or under the orders of the King.
o there is one other consideration to be borne in mind and that is the
projected air route down the Gulf. A portion of this route runs through Neid
territory, and we have tried m the past to obtain certain facilities from Ibn Saud
p 0 ^^] 61 ^ 110 ^ fV? g grounds, &c., but these facilities have hitherto been refused
ossibly one of the considerations that induced His Majesty's Government to sudd I v
The? win 8 T 0 ^ b \ S t Ud was that these mi - ht '"duce hinf to change Ws attitude
It} will I think, be on stronger ground to renew their requests and he will be
"" ^ -
1 f; , "' s Majesty s Government insisted that the surrender of the rebel leaders
H m I ^' T u W to Ce bHn^ h tf ab H Senti r^ 1 theref0re as ^ed^ the commander of
s i, ^ g „,. , His M.).., :
hn wlh 0 r e thanked nie P 1 ; 0 ^. and said he was qnite wiSlmf Z lo baek
Ibn Hithlain is an impossible person to deal with. He is entirely unstable verv
talkative and quite readv to refill nr ^ ci^neiy unsiaDie, very
at the nrevious pvonina Z y mornin g any arrangement arrived
,, " i. I , ) ' ev o ' ls eve ning. However, after a discuss on with Colonel Dickson and
Xp qu^ adsled The'followf t0 Ibn 1 therefore retuted to Ibn Saj'
of the Lnphr to the efTpct^ tW T? g 1 got a ^egram from the commander
' l ; u P. IT1 ^ tll e ettect that Ibn Hithlain was not willing to return fhp
King sent his son to take him over in accordant.^ witi, , r . 1111 less the
adopted amono- Arab^ fn o-iim , dance with a custom that is sometimes
KiX ItTnnlturallv T fbTuk who wish to surrender. The
m. s s. .xc whsi,' 1 ;;^ T,
the person surrendering should be completelv fnro-ivAn • W intention that -
not his intention nor the desire of SS th f P'' 686 ? 1 CaSe this was
intention was to punish these persons.' Co oni Dkklon there) ^ the - C0,ltrary ' h,s
Koweit to interview the rebel leaders and Thn FTiiM therefore again went up to
to surrender. I therefore proceeded with tL feUlemeT" tbat ^ ^
snould be flown down to Ibn Sand's canm anrl ha a a i arran &ed that they
After the whole settlement had been conclnrWl f over Colonel Dickson.
Air Commodore Burnett, CoCl d TcC and T nrn "T had left f 01 ' Kowelt >
inform the rebel leaders that they would be han(led owwl, 0 "^ n ard the " Lu P ln " to
Hithlain then said that he would not go I told hiTit fo , 1Iow , ln g morning, and
mmd, and that he would have to go the next morning ! T! to change his
ashore the following morning quite cheerful 0 surprise he came
aeroplane without the smallest Imnr Daw lb nnTh fu an . d into the
ssa st- asss
rem.M to Colonel D,ck«, t|,„ t l bn H|,hl,i„ i,„|'f h o'S,l ot . Slid