‘Military Report on ’Arabistan (Area No. 13).’ [‎56r] (116/366)

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•heck, but the oppression of the tribes by the Shaikh will always
create for him powerful enemies ready to seize an opportunity to
break his power; this oppression influences very strongly the
minds of the tribesmen.
(3) Persian Government —Though the Persian is actually the
Government, to which the tribes of ’Arabistan are subject, it
might as well not exist for all the importance that is attached to
it by the tribesmen. To the Shaikh of Muhammarah, however,
and to the Governor-General it holds an importance, which
cannot be Overlooked. ’Arabistan is virtually independent of the
Persian Government, though it is governed in name by a Gover
nor General and its revenue is paid into the Persian Treasury.
Threats of troops being despatched to assist the Shaikh in the
control of his tribes and the collection of his revenue bring home
most forcibly to him that the day of their arrival commences the
downfall of his automony. Again the Shaikh realises that the
Persian Government views with suspicion his relations with the
British Government and would be very ready to break up an
alliance, which checks the Persian Government from dealing as it
would with the Shaikh and his inaccessible province of ’Arabistan.
Never failing tact, therefore, is always being called for from the
Shaikh and his ministers in their dealings with the Persian
Government.
(4) Religion .—The power of religion, generally latent among
the tribes, if not in the fanatical towns of Dizful and Shushtar,
made itself felt during the war, when the Shaikh of Muhammarah
for all his influence found himself unable to rely on many of his
tribes, and notably the Cha’b and Bawieh, who were listening
with a very ready ear to a jihad organised by the Turks in order
to spread discontent in the province. Peace or war, so long as
Christian dominates Muhammadan, either directly or indirectly,
Mussulman mujtahids will be found working against the interests
of the Christian Power, and behind them a large following.
The Military value of the Persian Arab, fighting under his Military con-
own leaders in his own country, is undoubtedly less than that of ^derations,
his neighbours in ’Iraq, and the tribes more closely connected
with ’Iraq are better fighters than those more distant. They are
mobile, whether on horse or foot, to a remarkable degree, and are
little hampered by questions of supply. They are fairly well
armed, though not by any means correspondingly good shots,
owing to lack of practice.