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16
Arabs, claim to be descendants of
the Biblical patriarch, Joktan. Until
recently, their mode of living was prob·
ably closer to Joktan's than to their con–
temporaries in the West. But oil has
changed
all
that. Schools are being
built, roads paved, hotels built; elec–
tricity, air-conditioning, and more of
the same are in demand.
From where will these come? This is
significant because all this is possible
only with technical aid. In the past,
Britain was the main supplier of this
vital commodity. But now it is possible
that other powers with interests besides
econornics could move in as major sup–
pliers and exert an important iniluence.
Curreot Federation Plans
Perbaps it was realizatioos such as
these that caused the Trucial states to
press ahead with plans for a federation
even after Bahrein and Qatar dropped
out. Differences continued to be voiced
but .finally on July 18 of this y'ear, an
agreement was announced stating that
six of the seven sheikhdoms would join
the federation.
One state, tiny Ras al Khaima, opted
to
stay out, but it may be holding out
for what it would consider a more
favorable agreement.
Meanwhile the six agreed they would
be ruled by a Supreme Council con–
sistiog of the six individual rulers. The
rulers would then choose one of their
group to serve as presideot for a two–
year
tecm.
Whether the federation can succeed
remaios to be seen. In the past .such
British-backed federations as Malaysia,
the West Indies Federation, and N i–
geria fell apart because of interna! dis–
sension. But in this case, externa!
enernies may prove a greater danger for
the new federatioo.
Althougb the small Gulf states are
just on the verge of achieving indepen–
dence, they already have their oppo–
nents. Tbe leftist government of South
Yemen ( formerly Aden) looks upon
the sheikhs as "lackeys of the British
imperialists."
1t
has already set up a
"Popular Front for the Liberation of
the Occupied Arab Gulf." Not that the
people of the sheikhdoms necessarily
feel they are in need of being "liber–
ated ," but the South Yemenis have
The
PLAIN TRUTH
nonetheless pledged to spread their
brand of revolution.
Altbough this Communist-backed
group has not been active as yet in the
Trucial States or further north, they
have been conducting guerrilla warfare
for sorne years now in the Dbofar prov–
ince of Oman ( see box). It
is
from
there that they hope to spread their
struggle northward.
The Importance of lraq
The key nation in this matter of revo–
lution, however, is probably Iraq. Far
stronger than South Yemen, Iraq's
rul–
ing Ba'ath party has promised to export
its brand of radical socialism to other
Arab states. What Iraq's role will be in
the Gulf remaios to be seen. There is
strong Iraqi-Iranian enmity which has
manifested itself in a conilict over navi–
gation rights in the Shatt-el-Arab River
dividing the two countries.
For the time being, Iraq is attempting
to rally other Arab States to counter
Iran's - Moslem but non-Arab -
power and iofluence in the Gulf. Iraqi
Presideot al-Bakr recently stated:
"... U. S. imperialism and British
colonialism are giving fuods and arms
to the Iranian rulers to implement plans
designed to insure imperialist interests
in the area and to prevent the Arab
population there from attaining their
freedom, unity and progress."
This is where the Kremlin comes in.
The Soviet Uoion has given tacit sup–
port to Iraq, and the two in a joiot
statement pledged "full support to the
struggle of the Arab people in the Gulf
for the sake of guaranteeing their rights
to self-determination." At present, there
is little evidence of any "struggle"
going on in the Gulf region ( other thao
in Oman) and most western oations
hope it will remain that way. But noth–
ing is certain in world politics.
Meanwhile, Iran is making its moves.
A report from Kuwait stated lean is at–
tempting to lease a rnilitary base on
Bahrein.
More significant however, is Iran's
claim to three small islands io the Strait
of Hormuz. They are Abu Musa, which
Britain recognizes as belongiog to Tru–
cial Sharjah, and Greater and Lesser
Tumbs, presently occupied by Ras al
Khaima, the one Trucial Sheikhdom not
October 1971
comrnitted to the federation. At present,
Britaio is still responsible for the
islands.
lran claims the islands were illegally
taken away at a time of interna! weak–
ness, when Britain signed the antipiracy
treaties
some
80 years ago. The Shah of
lran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi said
recently, "I .. . cooclude that histori–
cally the islands belong to us, while
geography and strategy make it impera-
lranian o il fracti onating tower.
lran is being groomed by U. S.
and Britain to help fi ll the vacuum
left when Britain vacates the
Persian Gulf orea .
tive for us to take them peacefully if
possible or by force if such a regrettable
necessity arises."
Many observers look for Iran to press
its claim while the British still remain
in
the
Gulf. To do so after the British
departure might prove more offensive to
the entire Arab world.
Only Uocertainty Is Certain
One recent report says that both Brit–
ain and the United States are uoder-