Coll 17/10(4) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎287v] (574/1031)

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9. At this stage the British march into Persia to some extent diverted public
attention from home affairs, and the success with which it was carried out
stimulated confidence in Great Britain's position in the war.
10 . The Iraqi Government themselves, when informed of our intention to
go into Persia to turn out the Germans, promised their support and assistance.
They were at first a little anxious about possible political and military reactions
on Iraq, but so soon as it was evident that there would be no serious opposition
to our columns these anxieties faded away and I heard no more of them. In the
I Holy Cities, where Persian religious influence is strong, the British entry into
Persia and the subsequent abdication of the Shah were both welcomed. The
Shah’s suppression of the age-old pilgrimage to Najaf and Kerbela and his
treatment of the ulema in his own country had made him most unpopular with
the Shiah priesthood and they rejoiced in his downfall.
11 . On the 1 st September official notices were published in the press
summoning Rashid AH and all members of his Cabinet, the late Chief of the
General Staff and the four Divisional Commanders known as the Golden Square,
the former Director of Propaganda and the former Master of Ceremonies in the
Palace to surrender themselves for trial. All were charged with offences against
the State punishable by death, except Abdul Qadir Gailani, the former Master
of Ceremonies, who was merely charged with defamation. Rashid Ali and two
of his Ministers were already safely in Turkey and one of the generals vanished,
but the remainder were all rounded up by our troops in Persia.
12 . Their fate remained under consideration for some time and was not
decided until after Jamil Madfai had resigned and had been replaced by Nuri
Said. With him it was agreed that all the accused men (together with some other
less important political fugitives from this country who had also fallen into our
hands) should be interned by His Majesty’s Government, that they should be tried
in absentia in Bagdad, and that after sentence had been passed the Iraqi Govern
ment should consider whether or not to ask for some or all of them to be handed
over to suffer the punishment prescribed. Arrangements are now being made
to remove them to Southern Rhodesia for internment as soon as transport can be
| made available.
13. Some fugitive Palestinians from Iraq were also captured in Persia.
Most of these are being sent back to Palestine, but about half-a-dozen with bad
records are to go to Southern Rhodesia. The Mufti is still at large.
14. Soon after the beginning of September the Government’s hesitation in
dealing with the still persistent pro-Nazi agitators provoked serious differences
among members of the Cabinet, and the Minister of Finance, Ibrahim Kemal,
resigned. His action was supported by one or two of his colleagues and by many
influential people outside the Cabinet who shared his dissatisfaction with the
liberty allowed to the large number of Rashid Ali’s supporters still left at large
and with the absence of any scheme for the reorganisation of the army or the
Ministry of Education. Jamil Madfai had in fact shown himself to be too small
a man to deal with the exceptional difficulties with which he was faced. It is,
however, to his credit that he took office at a time when no other Iraqi appeared
willing to shoulder the responsibility, and that throughout the period of his
premiership he worked in a spirit of friendship and co-operation with us. I
believe that he is sincerely convinced that the future of his country must be closely
linked with that of Great Britain, and, although in one or two matters he could
not free himself from long-standing prejudices, he was genuinely ‘anxious to fulfil
the many requirements of the military and Royal Air Force authorities.
Considering how deeply Axis influence had penetrated into the life of Iraq, the
co-operation and absence of friction during the past five months have, I think,
been remarkable.
15. Jamil Madfai tried without success to find men to bring new strength
to the Cabinet, and obviously saw in the circumstances that he would not be aT)le
to remain in office much longer. At the Regent’s request, however, he agreed to
carry on for another month to give His Royal Highness time to fin’d a successor.
16. The Regent did not make much use of this respite, and when I returned
to Bagdad on the 16th September, after a short visit to Palestine, I found that
His Highness and the principal politicians, though quite willing to air their
views on what ought to be done, were waiting expectantly for me to make all the
necessary moves to solve the crisis.