Chapter 472 The Overseas Assets Committee

Anymore, with so many Arab countries and a population dozens of times larger than Israel’s, even with its oil resources, Britain cannot stand against the Arab countries.

“The Sultan of Egypt? That thief?” Sir Barron looked contemptuous, not a fan of Egypt’s ruler Farouk I.

This Egyptian ruler’s most professional place is its theft method, Farouk once studied with a thief, and after learning, he went through the various balls and parties in the palace, traveled among the VIPs to steal, and took the things he got as his personal collection.

His most famous deed was the successful theft of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s pocket watch, which was finally returned to Churchill only after the British government protested severely. Farouk also stole burial goods from the body of the Shah of Iran as his funeral procession passed through Egypt in 1944, including swords, ribbons and medals.

“It has nothing to do with being a ruler or not.” Alan Wilson wanted to use the example of the carpenter emperors of the Ming Dynasty, but all of a sudden he thought of Norman Brooke, the cabinet secretary next to him, who was a carpenter as a hobby, and choked on his words, but said, “Egypt is the natural Arab leader, as long as we give up the bragging rights. Currently, Egypt has the largest population in the Arab world, and historically it qualifies. Of course, Honorable Sir Barron, we are not supporting Egypt one-sidedly, in the final analysis, it is for the Suez Canal is in a state of security, and for this reason I have prepared some materials.”

Taking the initiative to stand up and hand down the materials prepared in Egypt, Alan Wilson pointed to the first item among the materials and said, “The first thing we have to do is that the Sultan must be cut off from Egypt. Once the Sudan is out of Egypt’s hands in a legal sense, Egypt is a country that is very badly shortchanged.”

“Ninety-seven percent of Egypt’s territory is pure yellow sand, and only three percent of the land is capable of producing crops, and settlements, with sixteen million people living on the current 30,000 square kilometers, a number that is still growing. Egypt has no oil resources, and there is still so little habitable land that it can be said that the most valuable thing in the whole of Egypt is the Suez Canal.”

Alan Wilson said this in front of many colleagues, pointing to himself, “From now on I am an Egyptian, my country is only spread endless desert, can produce life only on the banks of the Nile River, as Sir Barron said just now, the king is a lackey of the British, I want to change this country, is it not the first thing to overthrow the king as the British agent?”

“Hearing Alan say that, Egypt is so poorly endowed, it really is nothing but sand.” Gerard Edward frowned slightly and let out a bitter laugh, taking a stand at this point in time showed that he already partially agreed with Alan Wilson’s statement.

Norman Brooke took a sip of black tea and nodded mildly, “Continue to envision, colleagues are willing to listen.”

“All Arab countries, I’ll use Iraq as an example, since before the war, the Kingdom of Iraq has had a succession of coups, the important source of the coup is the army, if it is not the British army in the Persian Gulf to watch tightly, Iraq may have long been a revolution. After this world war, more than before the war, we have to take into account the infiltration of the Soviet Union and the United States explicitly and implicitly, the army is the most deadly place, if the United States and the Soviet Union begin to infiltrate towards Egypt, the army is certainly the first place to bear the brunt.”

“In Iraq my suggestion for Princess Badia was to set up a royal guard with Christians, and judging from the Israeli-Palestinian war, the Kingdom of Iraq seems to have accepted my suggestion. We can also use it as a positive example, proclaiming that the Kingdom of Iraq is a secular kingdom that treats all ethnic groups in the country equally. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“There are Coptic people in Egypt, concentrated in the Nile Delta.” Sir Ismay communicated with Norman Brooke in a low voice, mentioning this God-fearing ethnic group.

“The new Ottoman army? Louis XVI’s Swiss Guard?” Norman Brooke let out a soft laugh, signaling Alan Wilson to continue.

“We’re just counting on this royal guard to be able to guard the King of Egypt, should something go wrong. To be able to buy time for intervention. It’s not to use the Copts to oppress the Arabs, I think religious equality is something that no politician can openly oppose!”

“For the current UK, the biggest advantage is stability, and maintaining stability is the main job of the current overseas garrison. We need to find a way to send Egypt to the status of a leading Arab country, while keeping that thief safe and not being in control before anyone can react.”

“The next step is the issue surrounding the Suez Canal. Even with an Egyptian king in power, faced with only three percent of available land and a rising population, it’s inevitable that the idea of the Suez Canal won’t end up on the table. In the final analysis, it is a question of Egypt’s survival.”

There were nods from everyone, including Norman Brooke; Egypt had nothing but sand, and even if the king had remained pro-British, it was inevitable that he would end up being held hostage by public opinion.

“For the current conditions in Egypt, the main problem is two points, water and financial resources. The problem lies above the Nile and the Suez Canal, which means that no matter who is in power, it’s only a matter of time before he or she is confronted with these two problems.” Sir Barron, true to form, is a veteran head of the overseas civil service, “The difference is simply that the king may do it later, and once there is a coup d’état that we can’t react to, the coup makers may do it as soon as they gain power.”

“So think in those two places, first we need to strip the Sultan from Egypt so that Egypt is a flawed state and easier to deal with. With the king secured, and the Nile, Egypt’s lifeblood, pinched upstream, it’s Ethiopia and the Sudan that can affect the safety of 16 million lives in Egypt. Currently we still have influence over those two places.”

“Building dams to control the water? Supporting the Copts to establish the Sultan’s Guard, increasing the prestige of the Sultan of Egypt, and helping Egypt to become the leader of the Arab nations, but all of these moves are designed to preserve the special status of the Suez Canal for Britain.”

Without the sultan, even if Nasser came to power, Egypt would not be improved, Alan Wilson this suggestion caused the British Sudan Commissioner’s approval, “Governor Robert has actually thought about this, it looks like he and Alan thought of the same thing.”

“Optimization and integration well, just as we let each colony have flaws, only together to serve the British Empire can bring out the power. This is also found in the work of British India, I believe that now the old industrial area of Calcutta, has not lived up to the prosperity of the past, who let the partition of India and Pakistan.”

Alan Wilson’s expression of apology with a smile on his face caused laughter in the room.

Naturally, even with Egypt out of control, the Sultan and Ethiopia upstream had to do their best to maintain British influence.

Starting with the raising of the Sultan’s authority, to the Coptic protection of the royal family, to the issue of the Nile’s water supply. All for the safety of the Suez Canal as an insurance presence.

As for supporting the Arabs in an arms race with Israel, naturally, one cannot support a particular country against Israel. Rather, it has to involve the entire Arab monarchy.

It is also clear from the current war that a particular Arab country alone is the level at which it will get its ass kicked by Israel.

Then the Middle East Cold War version is simple, pile up the number, Israel has 100,000 troops, each of the Arab monarchies each formed up 100,000 troops, together blockade Israel.

As for weapons in fact Britain still has a lot of World War II antique goods it, Alan Wilson remembers, until India hit the Himalayas, the United Kingdom also used the World War II legacy of armaments to assist India with.

“Then I suggest, in Cairo to convene a meeting of Arab countries, there is such a meeting, but also convenient for us to carry out public opinion manipulation.” Sir Barron said with a thoughtful look on his face, “When the time comes, let Farouk I, as we discussed today, be the first to initiate an arms race.”

“If questioned why not attack Israel?” Norman Brooke opened his mouth to inquire.

“The United States and the Soviet Union are behind Israel, and the U.S. still has a peacekeeping force present.” Sir Barron thoughtlessly said, “With the Arab monarchies all on board, it’s also easy to utilize the advantage of strength in numbers.”

Alan Wilson nodded in his mind, unlike history, the current Palestinian-Israeli war, although Israel was considered a victory. But in the end, it had to ask the United States for help.

Regardless of whether or not the United States was burnt out at election time, the United States really sent out a peacekeeping force anyway. This is the same as personally coming down in support of Israel, and the Arab countries don’t have the ability to confront the US military, which is unlikely to help Israel take the initiative in attacking the Arab countries.

Wouldn’t that be very much like a Cold War setting, and then using an arms race to initiate a confrontation is an option that could be offered.

“Okay, meeting adjourned, each go back and prepare a report on the minerals of the colonies. Sir Barron, I’ll leave the contacting of the Arab monarchies to you.” Norman Brooke rose, “Alan follow me!”

Alan Wilson followed Norman Brooke out and left the Foreign Ministry building together, following Norman Brooke behind him, he also experienced that kind of reverence that others felt from the bottom of their hearts, it was just that people were all directed at Norman Brooke in front of him.

Arrived at the cabinet secretary’s office, Norman Brooke returned to his position to sit down and said to himself, “I want to establish a, overseas asset management committee, Alan think this idea how?”

“I couldn’t agree more, it’s a very visionary idea.” Alan Wilson’s eyes lit up and immediately agreed, “Coordinating the resources of the colonies to promote the development of the homeland, it’s amazing.”