JORDANIAN AND SAUDI STAND TOWARD BAGHDAD ALLIANCE

June edition JORDANIAN AND SAUDI STAND TOWARD BAGHDAD ALLIANCE Tariq Turki Al-Ammary Master in Political Sciences Mohammad Ali Al-Rousan Assistant Professor Tarik Mohammad Al-Azzam Assistant Professor This study aimed at understanding, analyzing and explaining the stand of both Jordan and Saudi Arabia towards Baghdad Alliance. The research revealed the fact that Baghdad Alliance, under the control of Britain, divided the Arabs into supporters and opposers of it. Iraq was one of the first countries to join it and encouraged others to do the same, especially Jordan, the fact which put Jordan in the middle of conflict. An opposing Arab front was formed which consisted of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The first considered it as a threat to its leading position in the Arab World, while the other considered it as a point of strength to its enemies in Iraq and Jordan. Therefore, they both sought to oppose the alliance by sharing roles. Egypt took the informational role to influence the Arabs' public opinion, while Saudi Arabia took the funding role to establish opposing popular and political fronts, the fact which led to its failure, paving the way for the United States to take Britain's place through Eisenhower's Project. Jordan; Saudi Arabia; Baghdad Alliance; Egypt - Introduction: This study is important because it investigated one of the Western alliances, namely, Baghdad Alliance in light of the world conflict situation about the region of influence and domination, and the political circumstances which encountered the alliance. Study Problem: One of the most important results of the Second World War was the split of the world into two camps: Western and Eastern, the fact which led to the breakout of a cold war between them, in which each camp sought to extend its political and intellectual influence in the World. Baghdad Alliance was one of the phenomena of that cold war, which stemmed from an American initiative. It was carried out by British planning and implementation, through which it sought to maintain its interests and influence in the region. Aims of the Study: This study aimed at investigating the beginnings and justifications which urged the United States, Britain and some countries in the Middle East to take part in political and military alliances. The study concentrated on the search for the justifications which were behind the Jordanian, Saudi and Egyptian stand toward the alliance. Beginnings And Justifications of the Alliance: Baghdad Alliance started as an idea of the Western countries in 1951 to establish an alliance which included the great states and a great possible number of the countries of the region. After Egypts abolishment of the Alliance Treaty in 1951 and Collective Defense held with Britain in1963, the Western countries presented a project which aimed at establishing a collective military organization to defend the Middle East (Mukalled, 1979, p. 241), to internationally isolate the Soviet Union and to limit its influence in it ( Abdulfattah, 1981, p.303.). On October 14, 1951, the United States, Britain and France issued a statement in which the Arab countries were asked to participate in the Middle East Defense Organization and put their military bases, ports and transport routes under the control of the Commander General of the region. It was followed by a second statement of the three countries on November 10, 1951 to exercise pressure on the Arab countries in order to join the American Projects stating that defending the Middle East is a vital issue for the free world (AlHamdani, 2004, p.270). In 1952, the British Prime Minister presented a paper about the International British Strategy which included the justifications for the concern about the Middle East Region, the most important of which were: the existence of political conventions and British commitments with some regional countries such as Iraq, Jordan, Sudan and the Arab Gulf countries. It sought to restore its political and military influence in the Middle East Region by holding alliances with regional countries, which were considered unabandonable spheres of influence (Al-Shalabi, 2006, P. 159) by replanning its policies in the Middle East (AlTarawnah, 2004, P. 150). The importance of the region, had a role in increasing justifications. The region represents the centre of the Islamic world, which means that the Alliance of Britain with the countries of the region could give a kind of incentive for the co-operation of the rest of the other Islamic countries with Britain. There were also other aims represented in cutting off the way of the colonial Soviet aspirations in Al-Dardanil, as well as the great economic and political importance of the Middle East countries. Egypt is especially important because of its geographic location and the special strategic position of Suez Canal ( Ruane, Mar., 2005, PP 181-182). Those British aspirations were not confined to the Western countries, but they were met positively by the Iraqi government, looking forward to building a regional alliance in the region which could guarantee sovereignty and leadership. Following the assassination of King Abdullah I of Jordan on 20 July, 1951, the Iraqi call for annexing Jordan to Iraq was intensified. This attitude was confirmed on July 23, 1951 when the Iraqi minister for foreign affairs, Salih Jabr, suggested to the British commissioner Frederick Pride the idea of unifying both Hashemite thrones under the leadership of King Faissal the second. In his attempt to implement this project and to influence the decision of Jordanian Parliament, the Iraqi government formed a committee to circulate the idea of this unity, which he called the unity of unifying Iraq and Jordan. It started its job in August, 1951 by supporting the candidates backing the unity project between both countries. However, the results of elections brought out representatives who were non-supportive of this unity. King Talal also refused the project after taking over his constitutional authorities and being nominated a king by the House of Representatives. King Talal believed that Abdulilah, the throne Regent of Iraq sought to overthrow him in an attempt to take his place (Al-Shalabi, PP. 107-110). Moreover, Iraq wanted to strengthen its political influence in the region because the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al-Saeed and his government were concerned about the possibility of a Soviet attack on Iraq (Al-Sa'eed, PP. 13-14). In March, 1953 and in an attempt to form the alliance, the American Minister for foreign Affairs, John Foster Dallass started his visits to the Arab Region. He warned the leaders of the region of the existence of a danger threatening the region, represented in Communism. One of the suggestions was the institution of an alliance to defend the Middle East, confirming the support of the United States of that alliance. Britain found the alliance as a substitute for the treaties signed with some Arab Countries (Da (...truncated)