Britain in Iraq: Contriving King and Country

Description

As the attention of the world is focused on the increasingly beleaguered U.S. and U.K. occupation of Iraq, Iraq expert and Middle East historian Peter Sluglett revisits Britain’s creation of Iraq in the twentieth century in this thoroughly revised edition of his classic text ‘Britain in Iraq’. Sluglett presents a comprehensive history of British policy towards Iraq from the beginnings of the Mesopotamia campaign in 1914 through the creation of Iraq in 1920 and the period of the mandate until Iraqi independence in 1932. As well as being a history of Britain’s relations with Iraq, the book also traces the implementation of British policies in a number of key areas and the creation of the principal institutions of the state. As such it is an important contribution to both Middle Eastern and British imperial history, and crucial to our understanding of Iraq today. Cover Contents Notes on Transliteration Abbreviations Foreword by Albert Hourani Preface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition Maps Introduction 1. From the Outbreak of War to the Cairo Conference, 1914-1921 2.From the Cairo Conference to the Ratification of the Anglo-Iraq Treaty, March 1921-September 1924 3. Oil, Boundaries and Insolvency: Political and Economic Problems, 1924-1926 4. The Years of Frustration, 1926-1929 5. Prelude to Independence, 1929-1932 6. Tenurial, Revenue and Tribal Policy 7. Defence and Internal Security: The Role of the Iraq Army and the RAF 8. Educational Policy 9. The Mandate and its Legacy Appendix 1: A Note on Shi'i Politics Appendix 2: Tenurial and Taxation Arrangements in 'Amara 'Liwa' under the Mandate Notes Bibliography Index of Persons and Places Index of Subjects and Themes