Page 570 - Mastermind: The Truth of the British Deep State Revealed

Mosul during WWI

When WWI broke out, the Ottomans didn't have a significant military
presence in Iraq. On August 2, 1914, general mobilization was declared

throughout the entire empire and in the days following, the Turkish army
346
was reconstructed on the Iraq front. However, it didn't look very likely for

this army to be able to fight off the regular armies of Europe. It was very dif-
ficult to replenish uniforms and equipment or transfer weapons to the area. 347

Moreover, the number of troops in Iraq was very low. Ostensibly due to

the Italo-Turkish war, the Balkan riots and the Balkan wars, the Ottoman
army had to shift its focus away from Iraq. However, according to Ahmed

İzzet Pasha, one of the Ottoman grand viziers, the real reason was different.
The Ottoman Empire never contemplated the prospect that British could

launch an attack in the region. In his memoirs, he explains the dilemma:

Even the kids know that the British have had plans for Iraq since a long time
ago. Owing to the impressive cultural legacy and history of civilization of Iraq

and Mesopotamia, and its reputation that, with good management and uti-
lization, it could rival the fertility of Nile, Punjabi, Sindh and Ganges basins,

these places proved their worth for their owners but also stoked the hunger of
big occupying states. The tombs and families of Imam al-A'zam, extremely
sacred to Muslims and particularly dear to Shia and very sacred to Sunnis,

and the tomb of Abdul-Qadir Gilani, very beloved to Indian Muslims are lo-
cated in Iraq. Therefore, it could be easily seen that Britain, with already a
sizable Muslim subject population and with hopes of being defender of He-

jaz, would benefit greatly, in terms of its Islam policy, from capturing this re-
gion. It was only natural that the British would set its eyes on Iraq, also for
the purpose of preventing this strategically important place from being cap-

tured by a strong enemy that could pose a future threat against India. Sepa-
rating Iraq region from local forces is the same as provoking and inviting the

British government to invade this property of ours. Therefore, it is a great mis-
take that more troops are not dispatched to these regions, before the ultimate
need arises. 348

Mastermind: The Truth of the British Deep State Revealed