'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎201v] (407/862)

HISTORY
29O
the extremists had decided that ‘as between nations liberty is taken
not given’.
The Arab Revolt
The last negotiations with the delegates were rudely interrupted
by the outbreak of a violent tribal rebellion which spread rapidly and
alarmed the Baghdadi notables and effendis almost as much as it did
the British administration. This Arab revolt of 1920 was character
istic of Mesopotamian tribal revolts before or after, and is described
here as an example of the difficulties of government in Iraq. The Arab
revolt of 1920 was dangerous for two main reasons: first that it was
a tribal movement backed by religious and political fanaticism, liable
to spread rapidly after local successes, and second that the mobile
military forces available to the administration for immediate action
were very few in number. Out of a nominal force of 47,000 comba
tant troops only 3,000 Indian and 500 British were ready for action
as a mobile force when trouble started. The remainder were either
fixed to local guard duties over lines of communication (2,000 miles),
dumps, refugee and prisoner-of-war camps, or else were sick or
absent in the hot-weather camp near Karind in Persia. The presence
at the latter of a large party of officers’ wives and children was an
added responsibility and fetter.
It is thus remarkable that the main insurrection was confined to
two tribal areas, the so-called ‘Middle Euphrates’ sector 1 from
Musaiyib and the Hindiya barrage to Samawa and A 1 Khidhr, and
the lower Diyala from Shahraban to Baquba. There were local risings
at a few points in Kurdistan and some sporadic movement along the
Euphrates between Falluja and Hit. But the Tigris tribes from
Baghdad to Basra and the tribes of the lower Euphrates around
Nasiriya gave no serious trouble, nor did the desert beduin. This
localization of the rebellion was due to the outstanding courage and
force of character of the divisional Political Officers who, with no
support save their Arab policemen or levies, remained firm in their
offices or toured their districts under the shadow of assassination.
Some were murdered, as Colonel Leachman (p. 270), who by his
personal prestige and courage kept the peace for two months above
Falluja,- a feat as great as any done during the War by the better
known Lawrence. But all, whether finally successful in keeping the
1 This term is quite incorrect geographically, but is in common usage to denote
this tribal area. The Middle Euphrates proper extends upstream from Hit to the
beginning of the Euphrates gorge in Turkey.