The British Presence in the Middle East and Kurdistan (1831–1939(

Abstract

​       In the 19th century, Britain was an empire that sought to exert influence across the globe, even in regions it did not directly colonize. Although the British had not occupied the Ottoman Empire at that time, they maintained significant influence over its policies. With the outbreak of World War I, Britain promptly implemented a policy of occupying Ottoman territories, and following the war, they partitioned the empire into several new states.

​As Kurdistan was part of the Ottoman Empire, it was simultaneously a subject of British policy within that realm. When Britain began partitioning Kurdistan—driven by its own strategic interests and its specific perspective on the Kurdish issue—it annexed each part of Kurdistan to a different regional state. This policy persisted even as Britain eventually moved toward decolonization and the relinquishment of its global empire.

​This research attempts to answer the question: What was Britain's policy toward the Kurdish issue? Utilizing a historical-descriptive and analytical method, the study concludes that according to the strategic maps and plans implemented by the British both before and after World War I, they opposed any Kurdish uprising, protest, or political movement that threatened their interests, employing all possible means to suppress them. In certain instances, however, they provided initial or superficial support to Kurdish movements merely as a tool of pressure to bring other regional powers into alignment with their objectives.