"ملف ١١/ ٤٤ الشخصيات الرائدة في العراق وإيران والمملكة العربية السعودية" [و‎‎٢‎٧] (٩٦/٥٣)

13
remained in office until August 1937 when, after the
murder of Bakr Sidqi, he and his Cabinet resigned.
As a Prime Minister he was disappointing. His
intentions were excellent, but his impatience with
detail and administrative routine, coupled with the
malign influence exercised by Bakr Sidqi over the
Cabinet, prevented him from achieving anything of
importance.
A well-mannered man of wide Liberal views.
In 1938, though he took no active part in politics,
he was on the alert to keep Nuri-al-Said from
returning to power. When Nuri-al-Said formed a
Government in December 1938, he sent messages of
goodwill to Hikmat and later calls were exchanged
between Hikmat and Sabah, Nuri’s son. In spite ol
their reconciliation, he was arrested early in March
.1939, tried by court-martial for treason and sentenced
to death. This was at the same time commuted to
five years’ imprisonment. In the summer of 1939
he was removed to Sulaimani, where he was interned
in a comfortable house.
In April 1941 was released by Rashid Ali and
allowed to go to Persia, where he remained through
out the May rebellion. He afterwards returned to
Bagdad and gradually began to take part in social
life.
He is now a flourishing farmer and apparently
determined to give up politics altogether. His wife
is a Daghistani, a sister of Mrs. Najib-al-Rawi (q.v.).
jMThe Regent does not like him.
50. Husain Fauzi-bin~Hassan
Sunni of Kurdish origin. Born in Bagdad in
1889. Entered the Military College in Istanbul and
received a commission in the Turkish army in 1909.
Joined the Iraqi army (artillery) in May 1922.
Promoted major 1925. He has passed the Senior
Officers’ Course at Belgaum, India, and has twice
been attached to units in England for training.
Promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1929 and colonel in
1933. In 1934 he was appointed Commandant of
the Staff School, Bagdad, and in February 1935 he
was given the command of the Northern District.
In August 1935 he became a brigadier, and in
November 1936 he was made G.O.C., 1st Infantry
Division. A pleasant man with good manners. He
speaks good English. He had nothing to do with the
military revolt of October 1936. After the murder
of Bakr Sidqi in August 1937 he was appointed Chief
of the General Staff. Relieved of his appointment
0^d placed on pension in February 1940 for
interference in politics.
51. Ibrahim Akif-al-Alousi
Sunni. Born Bagdad 1894. Educated Bagdad
and Turkey. Graduated from Medical College,
Istanbul, 1916, and came to Iraq, where he served in
several places under the Turks. Joined Iraqi Health
Service, and served as Director of Health, Basra and
Bagdad, with considerable success.
Was Director-General of Public Health in May
1939 and afterwards Inspector-General of Health
Services in Ministry of Social Affairs. He is
secretary-general of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society.
Appointed Minister of Education in Hamdi
Pachachi’s Cabinet in June 1944.
Appointed Director-General of Social Affairs in
1946.
52. Ismail Namiq, K.B.E.
Sunni, originally from Mosul. Born 1892, son of
an officer in the Turkish army. Educated at Military
College, and gazetted an officer in the Ottoman army
in Istanbul in 1912. Joined Amir Faisal in 1917 and
commanded the Hashimi Cavalry. After becoming
an officer in the Iraqi army in 1921 he attended
various courses, including one of six months at
Tidworth, where he did well. Became Commandant
of the Iraqi Staff College in 1931 and Commander of
the Iraqi air force in 1933. Commanded the Cavalry
Brigade 1936 and the Third Division 1937. Was
appointed Director-General of Administration in the
Ministry of Defence in 1941, becoming a lieutenant-
general the same year. Became Acting Chief of the
General Staff in November 1941 and as such
accompanied the Regent to England in October 1943.
On the 21st December, 1944, he joined the Cabinet
of Hamdi-al-Pachachi as Minister of Defence.
Became a Senator in May 1945. He is generally
considered to be pro-British. He is a man of sound
sense. He has not, until 1944, mixed in politics, and
disapproved of Bekr Sidqi’s cowp d’fitat. His
venality has been the subject of comment, but he is
quiet and temperate. Speaks good English.
He is at present in retirement, but may well return
to the Cabinet later. The Regent likes and trusts
him.
Created K.B.E. for war services, 1946.
53. Ibrahim Saleh el Kabir, O.B.E.
Born Bagdad 1885.
Jew. Married to Renee Sha’ul Elias. His son
Jamil, born 1926, is now in England (Nottingham
University). Has a daughter, Aida, born 1936. Has
three brothers, viz.: Salman el Kabir, lawyer, Bag
dad; Hesqail el Kabir, merchant, London; Yusif el
Kabir, lawyer, Bagdad.
Educated at the Alliance School, Bagdad; he
entered business in the office of the merchant
Hesqail Toweg, but continued his studies by attend
ing occasional lectures at other institutions. Some
time before the occupation of Bagdad in 1917 he
went to Persia, having by then been admitted as a
partner to Hesqail Toweg. He remained in Persia
for some time, but after the fall of Bagdad he
returned and found an appointment in the Ministry
of Finance, Accounts Department. He remained in
this Department and by gradual promotion became
Accountant-General. Later he was transferred to
the Directorate-General of Railways in the same
capacity. He held this appointment for some years,
but has now returned to his former post.
Ibrahim el Kabir has never been a politician: he
is a typical civil servant. Absolutely trustworthy
but extremely guarded in his speech. He, however,
is known to have a very bitter tongue on occasion.
He is not very popular, on account of a rather
sneering expression and manner, possibly due to
somewhat weak eyesight. A sound, reliable public
servant, but too timid ever to make a mark for him
self. In 1946 he gave evidence before the Anglo-
American Commission of Enquiry on Palestine.
Awarded the O.B.E. for war services, 1946.
Speaks good English.
Was chief negotiator in the Iraqi delegation to
London for Sterling Balances talks, where he won
golden opinions from the British delegation.
54. Jafar Hamandi
Born 1894. At the time of the outbreak of war in
1914 he was a school-teacher in Bagdad. After the
war he graduated at the Bagdad Law School and was
appointed to a junior judgeship in Kadhimain.
Later he was given an appointment in the Ministry
of Justice. In 1930 he was transferred to the
Ministry of the Interior and became kaimakam of
Najaf, then after serving in several other districts he
was made Mutessarif of Kut in 1936 and was later
transferred to the same post in Hill a. He was
appointed Minister for Education in Hikmat
Sulaiman’s Cabinet in June 1937. Resigned in
August 1937, and in September he was appointed
Director-General of tribal affairs in the Ministry of
the Interior.
Appointed Mutessarif of Kut September 1938, and
transferred to Muntafiq February 1939, to Kerbala
in September 1939.