Andy Carroll passed along some information about Imperial War Museum letters that I can hopefully coax into appearing on this site. In an email he included the following except, from the British edition of his book Behind the Lines
It is a serious experience to be in occupied territory. Immediately the country falls to our arms, we set about establishing a state of just government, order, security and well being. This is no easy job. There are lots of hostile influences at work. The Arab is divided in his allegiance. He will know that any encouragement he gives to us will be repaid by merciless punishment if a turn in fortunes of war should reinstate the Turk. Then again, the Turk is a hard taskmaster but he is a Moslem. Religion has a great influence over the Arab; but our policy is right and must win in the long run. The Turk’s plan was to destroy both life and property. Ours is to build up and as time goes on and freedom and security and prosperity are firmly established the old prejudices will die a natural death.
— Robert Stewart Campbell, an officer with the British Royal Engineers, writing home to his family in 1917 from Mesopotamia
