Evening star., 1941-04-20
British Forces Land
In |raq 10 ForestaII
Axis Seizure Of Land
New Government FuIfiIIs
Cooperation Pledge,
London Announces
s~ the Associated Press.

~ me Associated Press
LONDON. April 19-Strong Brit
ish imperial forces landed at the
Traq port of Basra today in swift
move to keep that country's priced
oil fields from the axis powers.
1t was announced officially that
the new Iraq government-estab-
lished April in a coup then de-
scribed by British sources as axis
instigated-was cooperating with
the British in line with assurances
given by Premier Sayid Rashid Ali
Al Gallant.
Foreign circles expressed the
opinion that this might mean early
British recognition of the new Iraq
regime and in any event would prob
ably strengthen Turkish resistance
TO German encroachment.
Turkey Highway to Iraq.
Turkey would of necessity be the
German highway to Iraq and per-
haps to the Suez Canal as well.
The official British announcement
said the Iraq governments attitude
had made favorable impression
ii London and leads to hope that
more normal relations between the
two countries may soon be estab-
lished."
What bearing this might have on
adjoining Syria, troubled French
mandate lying between Turkey and
the Suez, was not indicated.
The official purpose of the Brit
ish expedition. described simply as
strong was given as the opening
up of lines of communication
through Iraq.
Full Facilities Provided.
1t was announced that full. facili-
ties were afforded the British at
Basra-home port of the legendary
Sinbad the Sailor-and that a high
1raq officer welcomed the British
commander and is collaborating
with him.
The population was declared to
have given the British warm well
come in memory of the British and
Indian soldiers in the World War.
The country was created after the
World War at Britain's instance.
Previously, following the coup
which drove into flight Regent
Emir Abdul Ilah, authoritative
British sources had speculated that
the Germans hoped to obtain air
bases and other footholds in IraQ.
Iraq, the ancient land of Mesopo-
tamia - embracing such biblical
sites as the Garden of Eden, the
tower of Babel, Babylon. Ur of the
Chaldees. and Nineveh-was created
as a British mandate from terri
tory taken from the old Turkish
empire
Feisal I, the first king, was elected
by the people and enthroned in
1921 with the blessing of Winston
Churchill, then British colonial
secretary. Feisal was the old Arab
ally of T. E. Lawrence Lawrence
of Arabia and had Lawrence's
backing for the kingship.
His grandson, Feisal II, who will
be years old on May 2, has been
King two years.
Acquired Full Sovereignty.
Iraq gradually acquired full
sovereignty by a series of treaties
with Britain, and in 1890 the two
nations mutually recognized each
other as sovereign states. Britain,
in the event of a threat of war, was
granted all facilities in Iraq Under
this clause the British expedition
entered Basra, at the head of the
Persian Gulf.
When the old Turkish Empire
Joined Germany in the World War,
the British Immediately took Basra
with Indian troops, and won the aid,
or at least the passivity, of the
natives by pledging full respect for
their liberty and religion.
The British then marched up the
Tigris valley toward Baghdad, but
the Turks stopped them at Kut,
besieged them for nearly five months,
and finally, after $4,000 British
casualties, forced the remaining
5000 to surrender.
The British threw In new army
which eventually took Baghdad and,
after an armistice, the oil center of
Mosul, near the site of the old
Assyrian capital of Nineveh.