'Military Report on Iraq (Area 6 Lower Euphrates)' [‎196v] (397/452)

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section. Small in stature, cunning. During the Kut operations
and Mizhir Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. 's occupation of Shatrah in 1915-16 he undoubtedly
kept a leg in either camp. Has had little influence over the ’Azairij
as a whole. This has occupied the attention of the Political Officer,
Nasiriyah, who in 1917 managed considerably to strengthen Qati
al Buti’s hands in this matter. Up till October, 1917, half Shaikh
Qati’s tribe were still hostile to us, namely, the Wutaiwat, Albu
Humairah and Albu Hawalah’ sections. These have now been got
in and put under Shaikh Qati’s influence. Qati, for all his faults,
may be said to have served us consistently since Nasiriyah was
captured in July, 19L5. He is recognised as paramount Shaikh
of the ’Azairij, and receives a subsidy of Rs. 200 per mensem. He is
the only Shaikh in the Nasiriyah district with any education. He
can read and write Arabic and speaks Turkish.
QURAISH EFFENDI.—
Resident of Nasiriyah. Rich, reported pro-Turk. Owns about
25 houses. Anti-British; formerly Mejnber of Parliament, Con
stantinople. Disliked locally for having extorted money from the
poor in Turkish times under the plea of revenue collection.
RASHID, SA’UD IBN.—
The present Amir of Jabal Shammar, son of Abdul ’Aziz by
Mudhi bin Subhan. Ho is an ignorant, self-willed youth of 18
(1916), and is generally reckoned by the Arabs to be the unworthy
son of a worthy father, but in his dealings with us in the summer
of 1916, though no doubt fooled by the Turks, he certainly knew
his own mind. He was summoned to the confines of the ’Iraq and
bidden to await Ottoman help. He relied implicitly upon the
promises which had been given him, refused to listen to the sound
advice offered to him by the Shaikh of Zubair, and rejected with
insolence the advances made to him by the latter. He sent no
reply to the letters addressed to him by the C. P. O., and openly
declared himself to be in the Shamiyah under Turkish instructions,
and prepared to join in fighting us if Turkish troops were sent him.
He did not, however, co-operate with ’Ajaimi, with whom he does
not appear to be on good terms. In July he was attacked and
repulsed by our Allies, the Dhafir and the Aslam section of the
Shammar (see Dhari ibn Tawalah). Being unable to obtain provi
sions from Zubair, Khiimislyah or Kuwait, and so losing his own
following while receiving no help from the Turks, he was obliged to
return to Hail. He exists doubtless chiefly on the strength of a
name. Dhari ibn Tawalah found considerable difficulty in rallying
the Aslam against him. One of the main factors in Shamiyah
politics is the hatred and distrust with which the riverain tribes
regard the Shammar, and vice verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. . Ibn Rashid was the pivot
of this sentiment in the minds of the desert people, but he could