Evening star., 1928-10-14
IRAQ THREATENED
BY CLOUDS OF WAR
fiosIems to South and Kurds
to North Disturb Sc
Curity.
B. the Associated Press.

LONDON. October i3.-War clouds.
already dark and threatening. have
have gathered both to the north and TO
the south Of the British controlled
kingdom of Iraq. over which King
Teisul nominally presides.
On the south. the fanatical Moslem
ruler. Ihn Saud, King of the Hediaz
is stated by we'll Informed observers to
hfave been preparing for A holy war
erairst Mesopotanlia Investigators
who have penetrated this powerful
Arabian Sultans desert territory sav
that he is planning an attack for the
ear1v pert Of r-Tt year.
On the north. the fierce and war
like Kurds have been making prepara-
tions in their mountain Businesses for
an assault at about the same time, in
an effort to drive from their territory
these foreigners who have been at
tracted by the vast lake Of oil which
has been discovered near Kirkuk The
great oil companies of the world are
vitally interested in this prize. which is
valued at S1o0.o0o.000. The we'll, which
disclosed the worth of this hidden
wealth. wes spouting $4,000 barrels a
Cay until IT was cappod by the Turkish
Petroleum Co.
Attacks Unconnected.
There Is. so far as Is known no con-
rection between these two projected at
tacks. There may be more than COIN
ctdence in the fact that they are plan
ned TO occur at about the same time
but there appears to be no alliance be-
tween Ibn Sauds dusky wahabis and
the Kurds. A simultaneous attack OBJ
viously might prove mutually advan-
tageous
Meantime the British have taken cog
nizance Of the situation and have been
busily preparing for possible trouble.
There has been heavy increase in the
force of bombing planes and armored
cars which have been collected in
strategic positions. Other military prep
srations are being pushed forward as
rapidly as possible.
The more formidable threat is said
b. come from the south. The Kurds in
the north are understood to be inter-
eSted mainly in clearing their territory
Of foreigners. and whether they would
pursue a campaign beyond that obiec-
tive is problematical. But if they
achieved only their primary objective,
they would have won that 100000. 900
prize. 1t Is admittedly worth having,
and some would say that il is worth
fighting for.
Religious 1rOuDIe.
The trouble in the south is inspired
ky Ihn Saud's intense hatred of all "un-
believers" and indeed, of all Moslen1s
Who do not abide by the ancient ortho-
cox faith. In main. he is said to be
mainly concerned with those whom he
considered heretics.
This most picturesque of all the Arab
Sheiks, giant, who towers six and a
half feet tall, has come to be known as
Sultan Of the Faithful. He has imposed
rule of asceticism upon his followers.
and has taken upon himself the task of
scourging from his part of the world
those Mohammedans who have allowed
modern things to creep into their re-
ligion and nave thereby become
heretics, according to his belief. Indeed,
this dominant figure of the great
Arabian desert has already achieved
much in the way of exterminat ting
heretics, and the bones Of many men lie
aitening in the sands as a result.
The SULTAN of the Faithful is said
TO have announced his intention. with
other things. of razing the holy cities
Of Nejat and Kerhela. not far south of
Bagdad, and of putting the inllabi-
tants to the sword. These are Moi1am-
nedan towns, but they contain famous
mosques, and this self-appointed agent
Of the Prophet has decreed that no true
believer can worship Allah in man.
made temples.
Campaign Explained.
Here is Ibn Saud's campaign as al
ready blocked out, SO far as is known
By those who have made it their busi-
ness to try to CLEAN the facts:
Iba Saud has two strategic head
quarters which lie in the heart Of the
Arabian desert. These are Hail, which
ls over 400 miles southwest of Bagdad,
and FL Jauf, 200 miles northwest of
Hail. Ibn fits between these two camps
like spirit of the sands
The Sultan's plan Is said to contem-
plate long drive to the northeast over
the trackless. waterless wastes of sand
at the head of his great army of wild
retainers. This would involve the en-
ployment Of camels for mounts, since
they are his only means Of transport for
crossing this burning tract of death.
Light arms such as rifles, pistols and
swords would form the equipment.
which would mean hand-to-hand fight
ing and the clash of cold steel beneath
the banner of the Prophet as in days
of long ago.
vycuid Attack Railway.
launch an attack against the Bagdad-
Easra Railway near Nasrie, which lies
in the fertile valley Of the Euphrates,
not far from where this great river flows
through the traditional Garden of
Eden.
Another section would make a drive
against the holy cities Of Najaf and
Krebela. No quarter would be given to
the heretics
It is possible that a third attack
would be directed against Maan, a Brit
ish outpost which lies Just east Of the
southern tip Of Palestine. Naan is con-
nected by rail with Damascus, which is
situated about 200 miles due north.
Whether the Kurdish and the Wahabi
attacks will occur rs projected Is, Of
course, question to be answered by
the future. The British military prepe-
ratlcns may induce less warlike spirit
among the tribesn1en. But at the mo-
nent things don't look too good.
II the war comes, the British will de-
pend to large extent on arYnored cars
and bcmoing planes. especially the lat
ter. There was time when the planes
worked havoc among the desert war
rtors. The tribesmen used to stand in
groups. gazing up in amazement ct
these weird, vast birds. with the result
the bombs found easy marks. 1;owa-
days, however, the Arabs have become
more accustomed to the planes and
scatter like Ea abbits when the bonlbers
appear. Then begins q sniping at the
machines from among the sand dunes
with long barreled rifles. and it Is said
that not few airplanes have been