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Dec 17, 1915: #McMahon nevertheless received "Green Light" to deal with #Hussein pursuant to the #ForwardPolicy after #Kitchener and #Grey prevail over #Hardinge and Austin #Chamberlain (SoS for #India).

Hussein wanted #British as much as they wanted him, and he too was willing to POSTPONE settling the #BorderIssue.

The deferred question of #Syrian, #Lebanese, & #Palestinian borders, and British role in #Mesopotamia (#Iraq) remained a stumbling block.

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A separate drama played out in #India.

November 12, 1915: "Greatly disturbed by the assurances given by #McMahon to the Grand Sherif" #Hussein, Lord #Hardinge in India wanted McMahon to backtrack on #Mesopotamia (#Iraq).

“get McMahon out of the hole into which he has fallen… I devoutly hope that this proposed independent #Arab State will fall to pieces if it is ever created. Nobody could possibly have devised any scheme more detrimental to #British interests in the #MiddleEast than this.”
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