Word: arab
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Three Reins. The answer was important, not because Abdullah was a great ruler of a great state, but because his Arab Legion (8,000, plus 2,000-5,000 reserves) was the most effective Arab fighting force in the whole Palestine arena...
Palestine's native Arabs were panicky, almost leaderless. Outside Palestine, the Arabs were little better prepared. The nations which had brandished the scimitar most fiercely-Syria and Iraq-were obliged to keep a good many troops at home. Iraq, for instance, had hostile Kurds to worry about. Their people were outraged at the prospect of losing part of Palestine after their leaders' boasts and promises. Of the 135,000 soldiers, many of them ill-trained, in the armies of all the Arab states, perhaps 40,000 could be spared for Palestine just now. Even they had arms...
Would Abdullah use his Legion merely to occupy Arab-majority parts of Palestine, or would he try to crush the Zionist state? Like all Arab leaders, he had to make warlike noises and gestures. "I am an Arab king of an Arab state," said Abdullah recently, "and my army is an Arab army. I shall do as I please...
...Abdullah, sometimes impetuous and hot-tempered, was also too shrewd to think that he could do just as he pleased. Three strong reins checked hasty action: 1) the jealous rivalry of other Arab leaders; 2) his dependence on British aid; 3) the proved strength of the Israelite armies, which for the moment probably outnumbered the forces that could be brought against them. Abdullah's Legion was his only asset; and it was an asset only so long as he kept it in being, and did not wear it away against the Jews...
39th Generation. The little man with the grave manner and impish smile, courtly graces and arrogant attitudes, had waited long to become cock of the Arab walk. He was not likely to risk losing that position...