Evening star., 1941-05-13
Russiu and lruq

one lndubltaDle TACT STANDS out
amid the confused and contradictory
grist of news concerning the situa-
ton in Iraq. This is Soviet Russia's
acceptance of an Iraqi proposal for
the establishment of diplomatic re-
lations. Moscow has thus definitely
recognized the government of Rashid
Beg, a revolutionary regime which
ousted the former government of
the Regent Abdul Illah only a month
ago and which soon became involved
in open warfare with Britain. Incl
dentally, Britain never recognized
Rashid, continuing to regard Abdul
Illah and his colleagues as the legal
Iraqi government.
Moscows action throws a signifi-
cant sidelight on the state Of Anglo
Russian relations. What is much
more important, however, is Mos
cows revelation that, nearly six
months before the Regents over
throw, his government urged not
only that diplomatic relations be es-
tablished between Iraq and Russia
but that Moscow take a further step
of still wider diplomatic import.
This suggested action, as stated in
Tass, the official Soviet news agency,
was that simultaneously with the
establishment of diplomatic relations
the Soviet government should pub
lish declaration on the recognition
of independence of the Arabian
countries, including Iraq."
This means, in other words, that
the pro-British regency government
was proposing a Soviet declaration
which, if it meant anything, would
be tacit Endorsement of the Pan
Arabian" ideal of independence from
foreign control Today, out of all
the many states into which the Arab
world is divided, the Kingdom of
Desert Arabia ruled by Ibn Saud
alone enjoys a completely independ-
ent status. Iraq and Egypt, though
technically sovereign, are both in
treaty relations with Britain which
notably limit their freedom of ac-
ton. Indeed, except for French
inundated Syria, Britain is dominant
throughout the Arab lands, with her
holds upon Egypt and Iraq, her man.
date over Palestine, and an almost
unbroken string Of protectorates
along the southern and eastern
coasts OF the Arabian peninsula, be-
ginning with Alden at the mouth Of
the Red Sea and ending with Kuweit,
near Basra at the head of the Persian
Gulf.
Obviously, any change in the pres
ent setup would be prejudicial to
British interests, and Britain has
strongly resisted any attempted
changes, not merely during the pres
ent war emergency but in previous
times. Such concessions as she did
make in Egypt and Iraq were made
only after prolonged popular agita-
ton or open rebellion. But, just be-
cause Britain is everywhere the
dominant power except in Syria, the
strong Pan-Arab trend present in
all these lands tends to regard Brit
ain as the chief obstacle and there
fore tends to be anti-British in tone.
This is a constant factor which
should be remembered in evaluating
all current situations in particular
Arab countries. The more intelligent
Arab leaders are not blind to the po-
tential danger to their aims if British
dominance should be supplanted by
that of Germany and Italy. They
doubtless know the fable of King Log
and King Stork. But that does not
make them "pro-British" save in
relative sense. What they really
want is the elimination Of all foreign
control from the Near East. And
they will continue to be guided by
this basic aim in every shift of temp
orary policy. The means may vary
according to circumstances and the
sagacity of the leaders themselves.
But the end will remain the same.