MESOPOTAMIA MUDDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 174, 22 July 1916, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA MUDDLE.

DIFFICULTIES UNDER-GAUGED. A NECESSARY CAMPAIGN. INQUIRY DEMANDED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable AssoclaUon.) LOXDOX, July 21. In the House of Lords, the Earl of Wemyss raised tlie question of the Mesopotamia expedition, and moved that an inquiry be held regarding the whole campaign. He said many believed the expedition to be a gambling venture. The moment the Dardanelles campaign had failed that in Mesopotamia ought to have been abandoned. A more unwise undertaking could not be imagined—l2,ooo troops advancing 500 miles against the full force of the Turkish army. The Earl of Crewe (Lord President of the Council) said it had been imperative in the critical moments, of August, 1914, to reassert our paramount position in the Persian Gulf and to counteract the German campaign seeking to induce for a holy war the necessary support of the faithful chiefs. Our presence in the gulf saved the Empire from the near approach of great disaster. It was also necessary to consider the great" 'people of Africa, -who might easily have been aroused against us. Baron Islington (Parliamentary Under Secretary to the. India Office) stated that all the troops in Mesopotamia now were fully • rationed,-except for of vegetables and milk. "Political considerations would not ajlow over-ruling the advice of the military authorities in connection with the campaign. Baron Islington stated that General Nixon undoubtedly believed that lie could' carry out the operations in Mesopotamia successfully. General Townshehd never questioned, in any correspondence to which the Government had had Recces, his capacity to do it. It was apparent that General Kixon had under-rated the. difficulties to he overcome. ' ■■■ •;'"-• ' The" motion' was" carried! ' •: