'Military Report on Mesopotamia (Iraq)' [‎62r] (128/226)

Despite numerous petty inter-sectional quarrels, there
is absolute unity amongst the Shammar in their feuds
with their hereditary enemies the Anizah and tribes such
as the Dulaim, the Baggarah and Milli. The Shammar
hostility to the Anizah, of long standing and bitter,
finds outlet in numerous raids and counter-raids across
the Euphrates, in which the Shammar do not always
come off best. It may be accepted that the greatest
universal desire of the tribe is to defeat and plunder
the Anizah. With the Dulaim, Baggarah, and Milli the
Shammar are neither so hostile nor given to raiding.
Local tribes of Northern Jazirah, at least the smaller
ones, are numerically incapable of resisting the Shammar.
The Tai, however, have latterly been asserting themselves,
and there seems to be a growing reluctance on the part
of the Shammar to interfere with this tribe. It is not
beyond credence that the Tai may dispute the supremacy
of Northern Jazirah with the Shammar in the near
future.
The Shammar Jarba constitute, owing to the size of
the tribe and its possession of numerous rifles, the most
serious menace to the establishment of law and order
in the Jazirah. They are a rough, turbulent lot who,
owing to their frequent inter-sectional quarrels and con
stant warfare with the Anizah, have obtained considerable
skill in tribal warfare. They are experts at long-distance
raids, for which they have improvised a sort of emergency
ration made out of hardened flour—not unlike an
exaggerated ration biscuit—a piece of which about
6 inches square is sufficient food for three days. Their
capacity of endurance is great, as they seem able to exist
for a long period without water. They have been known
to drink animal urine filtered through earth, and have
also trained their horses to do without water in certain
seasons for forty-eight hours. Commissariat difficulties,
therefore, are inconsiderable for a fighting force of
Shammar tribesmen. It is difficult to imagine the
Shammar fighting as a disciplined body, but they have
evolved a system of protection both at rest and in move
ment, and also recognize the value of flank and rear
attacks. They are, however, unlikely to see an action
through if there is any prospect of loot. Owing to their
mobility and knowledge of desert paths and water-holes,
infantry are useless to combat them. They possess about
2,000 modern and about 4,000 old but serviceable rifles.
The majority of these are Mausers which were obtained
during the war. Supplies at present are obtainable in