Gertrude Bell and the loss of Greater Syria. Posted in a tread on Huffington Post.

There is a fascinating book called Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, by Georgina Howell.  The book describes Ms. Bells driven goal of creating what is present day Iraq.  At the time there was competition among the British office in India, the Faisal camp, the Hashemite camp, the Mosul/Baghdad faction wanting to join Syria and finally the Cairo branch of the British foreign office and the Zionists all positioning for a final control or influence of the region.  Playing them all against each other Ms Bell almost single handily created Iraq out of shear will.   Intrigues were many and countless careers ruined in opposing Ms Bell.  For a very short time at least two Hashemite brothers were installed as Kings of Iraq and Syria respectfully.  But as you point out French and British intrigue doomed both to failure.  What is most revealing to me in the biography however was, as again both you and I have stated, the Arabs of the region at the time just assumed that with the banishment of the Ottomans that the entire Arab world would be as one.  It must also be mentioned here that at the time the Shia, Sunni, Kurds, Christians, Druze and Jews lived in relative peace throughout the entire Levant and had done so for centuries.   The only division within the Arab world was between the House of Saud and the Hashemites.  As until this time the Hashemites had controlled Mecca and Medina the Sauds did not have the respect nor long term good will of much of the Levant.  The Saudi family driving the Hashemites from Mecca and Medina pretty much sealed the fate of the Saudi's not ruling the entire Arabia/Levant.  Over the course of the next 25 years the UK, France and Zionists worked very hard to even further divide and control the peoples of the Levant.  I again feel that the one true solution to the region is to wind back the clock (to go forward) to the time when the idea of a Greater Syria or perhaps Syriaq now was the overwhelming view of what the Arabs in the Levant had been dreaming for for centuries.  

Economist Magazine, April 5, 2013 video "Time to Break Bread" comments by me.

The second and also extremely important reason that both Egypt and the entire Arab and Muslim world should support the idea of a "United Arab Republic" is for the possible solution to the quagmire that is Syria.

It is my belief that the solution for Syria is that either Syria gets bigger or collapses.  There is no status quo left to return too in any meaningful short term scenario that does not involve years of civil war.

It is only by the "promise" of a Greater Syria do I foresee the Assad regime standing aside for a decades old dream by all Syrans.  Besides the collapse of Syria it is the only rational argument for the Assad family to agree to give up power for the greater good.

And when I say Greater Syria I mean Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and the Palestinian Territories (after final settlement with Israel).  Compromise capital to be in Amman and to be a Hashemite Kingdom.  The Hashemite Kingdom of Syriaq if you will.  

The only way you are going to get all the factions in all those countries to finally stop fighting and move on is to make them all members of an even greater group of minorities.  Each country will join, not to initially find instant comradery with opposing sides, but to save their fellow sect members in neighboring states from unrelenting persecution, or massive retaliation at the end of current hostilities.

That said initially for the reason to unite, I think that all members of all the nations will find in short order that united they provide a much more advanced society than they have been independently for perhaps decades.

Again a common market, common currency.  Ease of movement across a vast area of sects, groups, tribes and families that have not been within the same united borders since the Ottomans.

Indeed, this Hashemite Kingdom of Syriaq was perhaps the goal of the majority of citizens in this region in 1914.  99 years later it might be the only solution to a regional problem by returning the clock to 1914 and starting over.

This of course would only work in great success with the use of "Truth and Reconciliation" programs.

Iraq brings energy and agriculture.  It also brings the concentrated Shia presence to be a major voice in a united government.

Syria brings such assets as entertainment, agriculture and security expertise.  It also brings an urban sectarian sensibility, long history and technical and industrial promise.

Lebanon brings financial expertise, a vastly underused water source in the Litani River and a many cultured balancing talent that has existed for decades.

Jordan brings the long history of the Hashemite family, light industry, tourism and the regions most long term relatively stable country.

If, in the wave of unification fever, the Palestinians wish to join the rush to become Syriaq, many former obstacles by both Israeli's and Palestinians might mean, after almost 70 years, a settlement can be reached in a conflict gone on too long.

As mentioned elsewhere, the addition of the Sinai to first Jordan and then Syriaq would do wonders to be the keystone of the idea, even though it is at a far southern border.  I believe a transfer of the Sinai to Jordan would be the initial spark to success in the "Arab Spring" for 11 or more countries.

Which brings me back to Egypt and the topic here.  There are 11 countries currently living on the edge of success or failure.  More failure than any would like to admit.

As just two countries though, the future would look bright and the chances of the promises of the early Arab Spring, respect and dignity, jobs and equal opportunities would be more achievable to all, of all faiths and sects.