890G.00/556: Telegram
The Minister Resident in Iraq (Knabenshue) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:41 p.m.]
71. Section 2 Department’s 35 received 8 p.m. yesterday. No useful purpose would be served by talk with Gailani. His public statements during past week and his proposals to Ambassador through Edmonds and to me through Mardam have made known all that he might say to me and through Mardam he has my views. His hasty assembly Parliament today, his political history which reveals him as intriguer, unreliable, unscrupulous, ruthless, backed at first and now dominated by group with same characteristics, the fact British have documentary evidence his secret relations with Germans, together with other miscellaneous facts known to me, give background for following conclusions: (1) his proposals not accompanied by adequate guarantees and his assurances alone are valueless; (2) his hasty assembly Parliament is for purpose deposition of Regent and enactments giving superficial appearance legality his regime; (3) his proposals to British were for purpose of playing for time preparing way for the Germans; (4) the present crisis intended as embarrassing distraction for British at this critical time.