File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎396v] (801/834)

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“ At a second interview Emir Abdullah informed me that
the King had undoubtedly taken up a very obstinate attitude
over the Ibn Saud affair, and that the disaster of Tarabah was
entirely his father’s fault. The Bedouin were tired of fighting
after three years and would not come to his standard, and they
had collected a good deal of money which they wanted to spend
in comfort in their homes ; despite this the King had insisted
on Abdullah moving against Ibn Saud. The Emir said he
thought his father was now more reasonable, and^was prepared
to make substantial concessions if Ibn Saud would make the
first move, viz. by sending letters and the usual present to the
King via Emir Ah at Medina, which was the best channel. The
Emir added that naturally Ibn Saud would only consent to meet
the King because he looked on him (Abdullah) as his real enemy
and the cause of the trouble, but His Highness laid great stress
on the necessity for an interview between Ibn Saud and himself
before the former saw the King. He said that he was sure that
after half an hour’s conversation with Ibn Saud matters could be
prepared for 8 1 Ta / ppToch6?yieut. I presume the Emir wants to warn
Ibn Saud not to take the King too seriously, nor to be annoyed
if the King gets into a passion, as well as to try and come to
a preliminary agreement with him before he sees the King.
“ Emir Abdullah talked of Syria, but not bitterly, and told
me that Emir Feisal had four times telegraphed for him just
before the entry into Damascus to come as his Foreign Minister,
but that he had refused since he had read the ‘ McMahon ’
letters and saw clearly what the eventual position of Syria would
be. It was obvious, he added, that France would put forward
claims to Syria, and it was equally obvious from Sir Henry
McMahon’s letters that England would have to forego any claim
to that country.
“ The Emir then turned the conversation on the affairs
of the Iraq. He told me that he was accused of having ambitions
there. The days were over, he said, when a man could set forth
with a few followers to another country and place a crown on his
head and proclaim himself king or emir of it. He himself had
never aspired to place himself in a position like the Prince of
Wied in Albania (‘ Was there ever such a coward !’ the Emir
interjected). He liked the Iraq, the people were more civilized
than those of the Hejaz, and there was an intellectual class to
associate with, whilst there was none in the Hejaz. He would
certainly like to be Emir of the Iraq if guaranteed British support
and aid for at least twenty years. He would not accept a position
in any country for which Great Britain had not the mandate. I
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