File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎240r] (476/481)

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SECRET.
POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
III.
THE ARAB MOVEMENT.
Memorandum In Lieut.-Col. Sir Mark Svkes, Bart., M.P.
The following Memorandum is intended to serve as a general appreciation
of the Arab situation in the Ottoman Empire, and to give an analysis of the
various human, religious, and political factors of which it is composed.
THE ARAB PEOPLE.
The Arabs may be said to fall into four groups : (1) The Arabs of Arabia
proper, marked green on the accompanying map ; (2) the Arabs of Meso
potamia, marked yellow ; (M) the Syrians, marked red ; (4) the Arabs of
Northern Irak and 4a/irah, marked blue.
Guoui 1 I.—THE ARABS OF ARABIA.
The Arabs of Arabia fall socially under two heads,.the settled urban
population and vdlag'e population, ami tne Bedawin.
Religiously they may be divided as follows
The Arabs of Hejaz who are Sunnis.
The Arabs of Xejd who are Wahabis.
The Arabs of the Gulf Coast who are Sunnis.
The Arabs of Muscat who are Bond is.
The Arabs of Yemen and A sir who are Shias.
The Arabs of Hadhramaut who are Sunnis and Shias.
In Arabia proper there is no sense of nationality but a strong sense of
race, blood, and common language, something approaching the sense ot
unity compatible with war which prevailed in Western Europe in the 11th
and 12 th centuries. , . „ . . , , i
In Neid political power devolves on chieftains who dwell in towns and
are more or less supported by the local outlying tribes. Feuds and wars are
chronic and are not waged with any intention ol out-and-out success m»
I bn Saud and Ibn Iteshid have been at war for three generations, Imtiuth
no definite result. The various tribes who support the rival families absent
themselves from battle cr change sides with very little compunction, 01
^' 'xhe "following incident will serve to throw a light on the peculiar and
dpmiltorv nature of these hostilities: T
During the present war Major Keyes, our representative at Halirein,
was asked to send Ibn Saud some ammunition and war stores to HoluJ. lie
proceeded to the coast, but finding that the Arabs between the coast and
lofuf were at war with Ibn Saud. he returned to Bahrein. Ibn Sand sent a
■ ness ioe askin" why the stores had not been sent, and on being told the
•easoT he repM that if the tribe at war with him were give,, the stuff they
ieason, CO urse as thev were the ordinary carriers. I ms
would sem and the g 00 d’s delivered, although the hostilities still
was.- t j, . vi il therefore be understandable that war or hostilities need
mYl'ie a bar to Vmimai unity, such as the acceptance of the Sherd as
paramount chief.
S. 291.