Slanders On Muslims In History

Plans to partition the Ottoman Empire

When the Ottoman Empire entered the First World War, Britain revised its strategic and political plans. In 1915, under the chairmanship 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 Ottoman lands be divided into five big regions/autonomous provinces: Syria, Palestine, Armenia, Anatolia/Turkey and Iraq.¹ It also stipulated 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.² According to Lord Curzon, the western borders of India lie along the Euphrates and could be taken under control only by means of Mosul vilayet. Thus, the British would be able to obtain all manner of economic privileges, most notably oil, in Asiatic Turkey, including 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 Harmancı, 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