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Sharif “Sharaf” as Regent, followed by the formation of the fourth al-Kaylani cabinet.

Intrigues and plots continued unabated to bind Iraq to the wheel of British policy, control its foreign and domestic affairs, and direct them according to Britain’s interests in that ferocious war. Consequently, the struggle intensified between the camp of sincere patriots and that of the English, who pushed their followers to resist the patriots under the guise of moderation.

It would have been possible to lessen the disagreement had the English not prevented reconciliation and striven to stir up strife. Opportunities arose to bring the opposing views closer together, and agreement almost came about on some occasions, had the English not thwarted and prevented it.

Mr. Churchill, the British Prime Minister, issued an order on April 8, 1941, to send an Indian military division to Basra. The British authorities requested permission for it to pass through Iraqi territory under the treaty, which stipulated that British military forces were allowed to pass through Iraq west of the Euphrates within eight days only, without remaining on Iraqi territory any longer. The Iraqi authorities, both civilian and military, were uneasy about the passage of this British force under such circumstances and feared the familiar British stratagems. They therefore opposed its passage, and a grave crisis arose.

During this time, Ustadh George Antonius (1), whom I had known previously and with whom I was on friendly terms, came to Baghdad. He learned of the crisis from the new British ambassador, Cornwallis, who had been appointed to succeed the former ambassador, Sir Basil. He visited me and expressed his fears that the situation would worsen and a clash would occur with grave consequences for Iraq. He asked me to arrange an early meeting for him with the Prime Minister, Sayyid Rashid Ali. I did so, and the meeting took place shortly afterward. During it we made every effort to persuade the Iraqi authorities to avoid a clash. They agreed, showing considerable forbearance despite their fear of English treachery and the suspicions surrounding the reasons for the division’s arrival under such circumstances.

The British embassy in Baghdad had formally undertaken to the Iraqi government that the Indian division would pass through within the specified time and leave Iraq without remaining there.. etc. On the 17th and

(1) George Antonius: born in 1892 in Deir al-Qamar, Lebanon. An engineer and graduate of Cambridge University, he worked in Palestine as Assistant Director of Education and in the service of the Palestine cause, and was secretary to the Arab delegation to the Round Table Conference in 1939.