'File 11/29 Policy of H.M. Government Regarding Arabian Affairs' [‎16r] (31/56)

-3-
5* As for the external raids, these are made into what
has been called the "Fertile Crescent",i.e, ’Iraq, Palestine, and
Syria, and follow the tradition of thousands of years that the
hungry ’desert* shall fill its stomach from the well-fed ’sown’,
thus also fulfilling an economic law, in fact the oldest extant:
" That he shall take who has the power,
" And he shall hold who can."
6. Economic necessity is a sharp spur, and to the extent
that raids are due to this cause, they must be considered as all
the more formidable. That there are strong impulses behind the
raids is shown by the fact that a fairly strict control on the
part of Bin Saud, and adequate defence meaaures on the part of
the authorities in 'Iraq, Palestine, and Trans-Jordan, have failed
to put a stop to these incursions, even though they have been
always successfully repelled.
Present position of Bin Saud.
7. The position is, therefore, that for his own purposes -
to weld his kingdom together - Bin Saud has laid a ban on internal
raiding, and for the sake of his foreign relations - with Great
Britain and France the two Powers principally concerned - has
prevented to a certain extent external raiding. It is these
bans which have largely contributed to his unpopularity with his
of
Wahabi followers, and which were for instance one/the underlying
causes of the serious rebellion against him in the winter of
1929-30 by Faiaal Dawish. The Wahabi would doubtless welcome a
cessation of internal bickering in return for the promise of a
glorious combined first-class raid on the Fertile Crescent# But
when he is forbidden to do either he is - naturally enough - dis
contented and rebellious. In fact Bin Saud in being compelled,
owing/