File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎235v] (467/481)

1 U
apathy which is so easily mistaken for philosophic calm makes this class
worthless as a dynamic force, and it can only bo reckoned on as a sort of
melancholy and benevolent negative.
Turning to Upper Mesopotamia and Irak, that is the country lyino-
between the triangle Mosul-Aleppo-Basra.
1 think it will be found that Class 1. (ancient) is'the force to be reckoned
with and will include the urban notables, tax-farmers, landlords, Kurdish
beys and religious chiefs, who have hitherto had considerable opportunities
of squeezing, robbing and intriguing and who will be stimulated to
fanaticism by fear of financial loss. Owing to the mixture of races in this
region the Young Turks will have better opportunities of exciting and
combining with this class than in Syria. However it must not be supposed
that Class II. (ancient) (and owing to Persian influence, Class III.), is not
a potential power for order and co-operation, it will include the merchants
who are numerous, and a good number of Moslems who have large incomes
from legitimate sources.
The European educated Baghdadis will tend to fall into Class I. rather
than Class If., as hitherto such education has been generally confined to the
sons of persons of some substance.
Taking Arabia as a whole the matter rests with Classes I. and II.
(ancient), all others being eliminated, and the course of events will be
regulated by the outside influences affecting them. 'The Egyptian and
Syrian Pan-Arabs belonging to Class 1. (ancient) who are indirectlv
stimulated by the distant Committee will be the hostile force.
In considelmg this pioblem it will be seen that if the above analysis is
correct (and I feel some confidence that it is) our policy towards Islam may
tall into a definite line..
As regards Class I. (ancient) I feel that it is quite useless to endeavour
to soothe or gentle it : we need only be careful never to give it a just cause
for complaint, and when its members complain that British and other
Christian missionaries cause adultery and usury, or make similar insolent
representations, give them a short and unfriendly answer.
In Class II. (ancient) lies our greatest hope, and if by wise and tactful
methods we can increase its power and obtain its active support, much will
be . one to ensure the peace not only of our own borders but of mankind as
a whole I he A 1 Azhar and the Government of Mecca, which at present both
lean in this direction, with sympathisers among the Ulema in Syria, Anatolia Peninsula that forms most of modern-day Turkey.
and rak could practical y sway the whole tendency of ancient Islam thought
and curb the unformed masses of peasant, and urban, and nomadic
population.
As far as the moderns are concerned, it is manifest that Class I is the
only real force that can counteract permanently the efforts and control the
i«k msot influence of ( lass II which, 1 believe, we shall always have with
us. 1 he method to be pursued which suggests itself to me is that we should
be prepared to make concessions to this class, no matter how unpalatable so
long as we in no way compromise the fundamental principles of justice in
icgai d to the treatment of Christian and mystic minorities the financial
probity of the administration and the checking of intimidation I,v notables
or clubs of anarchists and fanatics
With regard to Class tlf (ancient) ive should do well to watch develop
ments in tins direction, and in event of the arising of a new religions cult be
prepared to prevent its persecution, since it is little likely that the next
plmse of religious development will be in the direction of violence and
austerity such as the Wahabi or Senussi movements, but more probably n
the directum of mrst.csm and pacificism, as instanced in the developments
of Habism and Rahatsm i’hese developments will not in all probability
bave any influence m Arabia proper, but may grow where the pure Semitic
blood is mixed with Iranian and other elements in Irak Syria and
In conclusion I should like to mention that in the above despatch I have
omitted as much detail as was possible in order to give the outlines of a