'File 2/15 Iraq coup d'etat and political situation in Iraq' [‎76r] (149/414)

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Iraol aorvanta were preased, Hla t'ajeaty'e fjpvemment would no doubt
take similar action against all XraQi diploma tie raisaioriB erd
consulates in territorieo under tJicir control*
41 . May 18th puased quietly but on May 19th In addition to
the second protect against the n^ehine-:r u nning of a military
ambulance on road Fallujah - Bagdad which I have already
mentioned, I received a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
etatirig (a) t)iat on May 18th a British aircraft hod dropped
ijaraphleta on Fallu^ah threatening the inhabitants that tha tovna
would U© bombed o^ing to the location of Iraqi troops in that area,
and (i>) that in the opinion of the Iraqi C&vernraent the bomoing
of towns was a reprehensible aot contrary to International treaticsw
The note ended with the warning that, if the British military
autuoritiea killed Iraqi civilians, reprisals must be expected
against the British civiliana in various cities in Iraq. Without
in any way consulting dia Majesty's ilovensaant on wnom the final
decision rested, I explained to the Ministry that, if there was
strong presumption that Iraqi troops were located in Fallujah, it
would be quits legitimate for British aeroplanes to bomb it and
that the wilful bombing of, or other reprisals against, British
civilians in their present situation in Iraq would b<* an outrage
which would no doubt lead to the strongest counter-action by His
Majesty 1 s Govcruaieat* If on the other hand fsliujah were an open
town, Iraqi trodps would have to be withdrawn and a declaration
to that effect made by the Iraqi Oovernment* oba the following
day I learnt from the British Broadcasting Corporation that, oafore
my reply was delivered to the Ministry, British forces had occupied
y&lluj&h.
42. On May gist I received through the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs your telegram Mo. 577 in which, with reference to the Iraqi
Mote mentioned above, you instructed me to inform the Iraqi
^ authorities that His Majesty's Forces riad so far scrupulously
abstained from bombing any but military objectives in Iraq and to
warn them that, if4ny acts of violence were committed against
British subjects, 'such crimes would meet with drastic retribution.
In their comment the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they
had already made it clear that the Iraqi authorities would regard
the bombing by British aircraft of non-military targets and the
consequent shedding of innocent blood as a violation of international
law and that in such circumstances reprisals could not be regarded
as unjustifiable! responsibility for tne result of such reprisals
would, they naainteined, devolve on the party which had provoked
them. They also protested against the machine-gun attacks whicn,
they alleged, British aircraft had made on peaceful civilians with
fatal results.
45. In acting on the instructions contained in your telegraM,
I drew particular attention to the unusual action of the Ministry
in offering observations on a telegram ad&reaoed to tne imbaesy
before its contents had been communicated to me officially.
44 . on the auMa day, the Minis try# pro tea ted against the
bombing by British aircraft of quarters of Stfosul inaabited by
civilians and the resulting death of thirty-two person* and the
woundin^ of twenty-six, of whom the majority were old u^n, women
and children. This protest was repeated to you in my telegram
Mo. 456.
45