Page 572 - Mastermind: The Truth of the British Deep State Revealed

Plans to partition the Ottoman Empire

When the Ottoman Empire entered the First World War, Britain re-

vised its strategic and political plans. In 1915, under the chairman-
ship of Sir Maurice de Bunsen, the 'Committee on Asiatic Turkey'
was set up, began its work on April 8, 1915 and submitted its report

on June 30, 1915. The commission suggested in its report that Ot-
toman lands be divided into five big regions/autonomous provinces:
Syria, Palestine, Armenia, Anatolia/Turkey and Iraq. It also stipu-
1
lated that the strategic points along the line from the Mediterranean
to the Persian Gulf be taken under control, directly or indirectly.

This could be achieved only by complete invasion of Palestine and
Iraq. According to Lord Curzon, the western borders of India lie
2
along the Euphrates and could be taken under control only by means

of Mosul vilayet. Thus, the British would be able to obtain all man-
ner of economic privileges, most notably oil, in Asiatic Turkey, in-

cluding Mosul. 3

1. Selçuk Ural, "Mütareke Döneminde İngiltere'nin Güneydoğu Anadolu Politikası", Ankara
Üniversitesi Türk İnkilap Tarihi Enstitüsü Atatürk Yolu Dergisi, p. 39, May 2007
2. David Fromkin, Barışa Son Veren Barış (Peace That Ended War), translated by Mehmet Har-
mancı, Istanbul, 1994, pp.137-140; M. Kemal Öke, Musul Meselesi Kronolojisi (1918-1926)
(Chronology of Mosul Issue), Istanbul: Türk Dünyası Araştırmaları Vakfı, 1987, p. 15
3. İhsan Şerif Kaymaz, Musul Sorunu Petrol ve Kürt Sorunları ile Bağlantılı Tarihsel ve Siyasal Bir
İnceleme (Mosul Issue, Historical and Political Analysis In Terms of Petroleum and Kurdish
Issues), Istanbul: Otopsi Yayınları, 2003, p. 49; Ersal Yavi, Kürdistan Ütopyası (Kurdistan
Utopia), vol. 1, Istanbul: Yazıcı Basım Yayın, 2006, p. 63

Iraq after the Siege of Kut

Despite all its shortcomings and previous defeats, the Ottoman army was

still successful on many occasions on the Iraq front, which was very impor-
tant for the Ottoman Empire. On November 22, 1915, the British were heav-

ily defeated at Kut Al Amara. This unexpected defeat shook them greatly. The
Kut Al Amara victory by the Turkish army is a very significant achievement

that should be remembered as well and as often as the Gallipoli victory.

Mastermind: The Truth of the British Deep State Revealed