'File 2/1 I PROPAGANDA (Absorption of Kuwait by Iraq)' [‎338r] (692/706)

Telegrams : —
airgenarch habbaniya.
Telephone
HABBANIYA 342.
SECRET.
air HEADQUARTERS,
BRITISH FORCES IN ’IRAQ
HABBANIYA,
’IRAQ.
2nd. March 1939.
Ref:- RJS/DQ/l.
Dear
p rprnipT ._. I) !'^ this place with its fugitive Cabinets; its evanescent
Premiers, and its dissolving Deputies! No sooner do we get the
picture m focus in our little "I M eye, than somebody gives the
political lens a tweak and we have to start all over again - it
would be heart-breaking, if it were not, at times, vaguely amusing.
Nuri arrived back in our midst - unexpectedly, and as the
result of a strong hint from the Ambassador to the ir.O. - on Tuescfe, y
last. He found parliament dissolved; the Army champing at the bit;
Rashid al Gailani involved in some highly speculative intrigues at
the Palace; and Naji Shawkat busy reforming everything and everybody,
and turning his conveniently deaf ear to the still, small voice of
reason. Taha al Hashimi was also playing some complicated game,
which was to make him C. in C. of the armed forces of ’Iraq in
addition to being Minister of Defence - the latter position alone
affording little in the way of perqs. Nuri has sailed into this
maelstrom, confident that he can survive; my Master Patrick in
Baghdad is a little dubious, but we live in hopes
The visit of H.R.H. the Crown Prince of ’Iran was a great
success, although the ’Iraqis thought that they had been put to a
great deal of unnecessary trouble and expense for what was not, in
the strict sense of the word, an official visit. The young man is
attractive, if a trifle arrogant, and apparently got on well with^
the King and off with the Amir Abdul Ilah. He was pleased with his
reception, but occasioned some slight embarrassment at the Royal
Bilat, where he and his entourage were accommodated in the guest-
ffing, by demanding the provision of three powder-puffs. Why three?
Your little Principality of Kuwait still continues to
occupy the attention of our ’Iraqi journalists and associate pan-
Arabist groups. I don’t know who is behind the Present movement but
I suspect that Herr Grobba may be supporting it ^directly fo
"nuisance value". In Basra the two most ard ® n * K "^ t J p a ^ dh
’Iraqis” supporters are Abdul Qadir as Sayyab
editors of "A1 Nas" and "As Sijill” respectively, the former has
also applied for government sanction for the formation of an ra
Propaganda Bureau in Basra.
a further miscellaneous collection
I am sending you aiong a further mi ^ of passing
of press extracts on the sa “® thi ^ 1’ 0 Lip at this end, please let
interest, and if we can do a " y ^”? S e nt Lions been made to the effect
us know. Have any ^iP^^^LLst towards Kuwait that is not only
that ’ Iraq is evincing “A^^ dance with the terms of the Anglo-
embarrassing, but scarcely in
'Iraq Treaty?
As aye
Captain G.V. DeGaury M.C.