At first, all was as friendly as Scheherazade's smile. Foreign Minister Ernest Bevin hailed Britain'snew 20-year alliance with Iraq as the start of an era "regularizing and expressing the friendship between this country and the Arabic world." The treaty with Iraq confirmed Britain's right to-keep troops in Iraq, train and arm the Iraqi army, maintain airbases. Iraq's Regent Abdul Illah replied to a congratulatory message from Bevin: "I recall with appreciation your precious efforts that have led to this happy result."
A lot of people in Bagdad were not happy. Thousands surged through Rashid Street, Bagdad's dingy...