From: Lawrence DeBivort (debivort@umd5.umd.edu)
Date: Tue 19 Nov 2002 - 03:20:11 GMT
Couldn't agree with you more about the generous and varied prevalence of
nasty colonial damage done by the major powers. A colonial meme?
A quibble: TE Lawrence did not betray the Arabs. he was following up on the
Hussein-McMahon agreement, in which the UK pledged to support Arab
independence if the Arabs revolted against the Ottoman Empire. Lawrence's
effort in support of that revolt has been well documented. Lawrence did not
know of the secret Sykes-Picot Treaty between the UK and France, in which in
essence and spirit if not technically the UK betrayed that pledge to the
Arabs. The Balfour declaration, which then followed, made only a vague
statement of support ("view with favour...use best endeavours") for a
Jewish home (not state or nation) in Palestine, provided the civil rights of
the Palestinians were not harmed. Lawrence then worked closely with Faisal
in establishing the Arab State, based in Damascus, and including Palestine,
what was then called Transjordan, Syria, and Lebanon. This included
accompanying Faisal to the various post WWI peace conferences, and arranging
a meeting between Faisal and Weizmann, chief spokesman for the Zionists.
But the Sykes-Picot secret agreements prevailed, and the French seized the
mandate for Lebanon and Syria, and the UK for Palestine and Transjordan..
Lawrence was disgusted with this turn of events. There is a wonderful book
of his letters to various people which traces his growing understanding of
and anger toward the UK-French complicity and duplicity.
Cheers,
Lawry
-----Original Message-----
From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk]On Behalf Of
Scott Chase
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 9:55 PM
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: RE: Why Europe is so Contrary
If I were Irish reflecting on former English
rule over my island (minus six counties) or an Arab who felt betrayed by
T.E. Lawrence et al things might be different. If the Brits on the list want
to ask us about our brutal tactics, policy blunders and false promises, they
should start looking at their own.
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