Britain's Man On The Spot In Iraq And Afghanistan

Wilks, Ann

London : I. B. Tauris

<p>The newly discovered papers and colourfully-written letters of Anglo-Irish Sir Henry Dobbs, which form the backbone of this book, reveal his importance in the development of the modern Middle East. An influential civil servant and Britain's longest serving High Commissioner in Iraq at a time when the British empire was facing increasing challenges to its once dominant position, he describes the difficulties of governing first in India then in the formerly Ottoman Mesopotamia during WW1. Here, Dobbs had to devise administrative systems while often at odds with his superior, Sir Percy Cox. In the discussions that followed the Third Afghan War, Dobbs manoeuvred between the different views in London and Delhi with great dexterity to negotiate alone with the Amir of Afghanistan the enduring 1921 Anglo-Afghan treaty. Having accepted from the League of Nations the responsibility for taking the newly-created Iraq to sustainable independence in the aftermath of WW1, the cash-strapped British government came under great domestic pressure to abandon it. Key to British support continuing was Iraqi acceptance of the controversial 1922 treaty with Britain. This Dobbs achieved by disregarding the unhelpful approach recommended by London and, risking his career, he pressed on with his own wholly unauthorised tactics. In other initiatives, Dobbs ensured that Mosul province remained within Iraq. Dobbs consistently pressed for Iraq's early independence - granted in 1932, the first territory in the former Ottoman Empire to gain it.An early advocate of self-determination Dobbs was frequently at odds with the more traditional imperial approach of his superiors. He always endeavoured to balance the aspirations and needs of overseas communities for whom he was responsible with the interests of Britain which he represented.</p>

Britain’s Man on the Spot in Iraq and Afghanistan: Government and Diplomacy by Sir Henry Dobbs at the Apex of Empire

Biographies & Memoirs

Historical

I.B.Tauris

<p>Vice Cop to Vicar chronicles the extraordinary journey of one man through the darkest corridors of trauma to a profound transformation guided by faith.From the high-stakes world of law enforcement, DC Derrick Wilks found himself entrenched in the gruesome reality of crimes that shook the very foundation of his being.Alongside his wife, Ann, this book unravels gripping accounts of investigations that tested the boundaries of human wickedness, including the heart-wrenching discovery of a baby in a shoebox that would haunt him for years. The unyielding pressures of the job, devoid of any support or counselling, took a toll on Derrick's mental health, pushing him into a profound breakdown.And yet, amid the turmoil, a glimmer of hope emerged in the unexpected encounter with an evangelist that sparked a journey towards healing and purpose.This is Derrick's story - from the raw vulnerability of a shattered man to the celebration of the unwavering belief that even in the face of unspeakable darkness, light can eventually pierce through - a story of the power of faith.</p>

Vice Cop to Vicar: A Journey of Faith and Healing

Wilks, Derrick

Professionals & Academics

Malcolm Down Publishing Limited

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