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pendent Arab states did at last
emerge. Iraq became independent in
1932; Syria and Lebanon in 1941;
Transjordan in 1946; Egypt in 1951.
In Arabia, King lbn Saud of Nejd
(central Arabia) succeeded in con–
quering the Hejaz in 1925, and in
1932- after unitingother arcas under
his control- formed the soon-to-be
oil-rich Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia.
Calls soon began to issue forth
from various quarters for these newly
independent Arab states to unite into
one giant Arab Nation. Many Arabs
began to look back with a sort of
nostalgia to the fi rst few centuries
after Mohammed, when Islam was
politically united as a single world
empi re, extending from the Atlantic
Ocean to the Indus River. Why not,
~
~
they asked, seek to re-create the po-
~
litical and theological unity of the
~
early lslamic caliphate- beginning
COMING MIDEAST WAR
wi/1 pate prevíous connicts into insignificance. Above: Israelí
with the unification of the Arab
soldiers hold posifion in Gaza Strip region during June 1967 Arab-lsraeli war. 8oth sides
world? The possibilities would be tre-
are better equipped militarily today !han ever before.
rnendous, they suggested.
losing their martial vigor. Interna!
weaknesses resulted in a gradual
breakdown of the political solidarity
of the Moslem Empire and its disin–
tegration into autonomous or semi–
autonomous states. Eventually Bagh–
dad itself was conquered by invaders,
and the Abbasid caliphs became
mere figurehead or "puppet" rulers.
In addition, the Islamic faith itself
became split and fragmented into
dozens of sects, sub-sects and off–
shoots, as it remains to this day. In
fact, modern Islam is as divided as
modero Christianity!
Warand lndependence
Early in the 16th century, the major–
ity of Arab lands carne under the
sway of the Ottoman Turks, ruling
from lstanbul. For the following four
centuries there was no independent
Arab state. The Arabs bristled under
the corrupt and despotic rule of the
Ottomans.
During World War I the Ottoman
Empire (Turkey) sided with the Cen–
tral Powers of Germany and Austria–
Hungary against Britain. An oppor–
tunity thus presented itself to Brit–
ain. The British believed that a rebel–
lion of Arabs against their Turkish
overlords would enable Britain, while
10
fighting Germany, simultaneously to
defeat Germany's ally Turkey. Brit–
ain consequently encouraged and
gave assistance to a rebellion of the
Arab tribes.
The rebellion was proclaimed in
June 1916 by Hussein ibn Ali, tbe
illustrious Sherif of Mecca (a descen–
dant of Mohammed) and self-pro–
claimed "King of the Arabs." In ex–
change for bis revolt against the
Turks, Hussein received a promise
from Britain to recognize the inde–
pendence of the Arab countries after
the war.
Assisted by the legendary T. E.
Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia")
in the field, the "Revolt in the Des–
ert" was successful. With Turkey's
defeat, Ottoman rule in Arab lands
carne to an end.
But the free and united Middle
Eastern Arab empi re promised by
Britain djd not materialize. The ma–
jority of Arab lands were instead giv–
en to Britain and France to rule as
mandates. The Arabs felt betrayed,
claiming Britain had duped them,
had made false promises and had
shown bad faith. After centuries of
Ottoman rule, they were now to be
ruled by Europeans!
Eventually, however, various inde-
Elus lve Dream
This idea (called "Pan-Arabism") of
a single united Arab Nation with one
Aag and one capital was not new.
Throughout the centuries, the goal of
a single political entity embracing all
Arabic-speaking peoples has been a
widely held dream among Arabs. But
it has proved to be as elusive as the
mirages of the desert. Indeed, the
pages of Arab history brim with sto–
ríes of tribal feuds, national conAicts
and personal rivalry among Arab
leaders.
The common historical origin,
common faith, language and culture
of the Arab peoples-factors that
would seem at first glance to provide
an excellent basis for Arab solidari–
ty- prove to be a mere facade of uni–
ty. In actuality, the Arab peoples are
deeply divided by often fierce politi–
cal, ideological, economic, theologi–
cal and territorial rivalries. Though
the desire for unity is strongly felt,
there are wide and almost irreconcil–
able differences among Arab nations
over the manner in which that goal is
to be achieved.
Even more hopeless has been the
centuries-old quest for the wider–
scope ideal of Islamic unity. Multiple
millions of non-Arabic-speaking
The
PLAIN TRUTH December 1979