'File 2/15 Iraq coup d'etat and political situation in Iraq' [‎36r] (69/414)

contained an ex-Presidont and the existing President of
the Palestine Defence Society and there is some suspicion
that Rashid Ali resigned in collusion with Taha and that
the whole affair had not only the approval of the ex-
Mufti but also of the Italian Legation.
The Golden Square now became more inf luontia 1
than over and backed Rashid Ali. It was obvious that
Taha had no intention of trying conclusions with this
pov/erful clique and in fact it appeared that the
Government and the opposition had both decided to
observe a discreet silence on such controversial questions
as the removal of the Italian Legation from Baghdad.
Despite the efforts of Nuri and Jamil Madfai to obtain
a clear statement, the Government and the opposition,
backed or frightened by the Army, whre able to carry
on with their negative policy. It was at this time,
March 1941, that Taufik as Suwaidi, as Foreign Minister,
flew to Cairo to see Mr. Eden and Taha must have con
sidered him a most disruptive element in his Cabinet.
Iraqi politics had now resolved themselves into
the simple question, was the Italian Legation to go or
not? But it was not so simple to answer. Axis money,
distributed by the Italians, personal ambitions and
intrigues and army pro-Axis sympathies, all combined to
make Taha*8 position very difficult and Taufiq as Su
waidi, although he was convinced that a pro-British
policy was the best for Iraq and was supported by some
other members of the Cabinet, could not persuade Taha
to take any step which might give direct offence to Rashid
or the as yet unbroken Golden Square.
In his capacity as Defence Minister,however,
Taha did endeavour to scatter the Army Big Four, but they
refused to leave the posts they were occupying. As
s
Premier, he had to review this order and actually agreed
to reconsider the orders he had already issued as Defence