Britain, the Hashemites, and Arab Rule, 1920-1925

"In June 1921, Winston Churchill unveiled before Parliament his plan for supporting Sherif Husain, Amir of Mecca, and two of his sons for rulership positions in those Middle Eastern countries recently liberated from Ottoman rule. By his so-called 'Sherifian Solution', Churchill hoped that support for King Husain in the Hijaz, Faisal as first ruler of mandatory Iraq and Abdullah as Amir of Transjordan would reconcile the demands of Arab nationalists with Britain's strategic and economic interests in the region." "This study traces the development of the Sherifian policy during the period of 1920-25. That policy was devised by the British for the territories involved, with little regard for the wishes of the indigenous populations. Therefore, while not ignoring the Arab perspective, this work places heavy reliance on the records of more than two dozen individuals in London and 'on the spot' who supported or opposed the policy."--Jacket.