Confederation of Arab States (Twilight of a New Era)

The Confederation of Arab States (CAS) is the political entity that unites the former Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire establish in 1920, immediately after the end of the Arab Revolt and World War I

Origins of the CAS
On the negotiations of the Paris Peace Conference in 1920 the interests of France and the United Kingdom regarding the Middle East came to conflict. France asked for the territories of Syria and Lebanon. UK favored the nascent Arab States, honoring the compromises made to the Sharif of Mecca, Hussein bin Ali, in the wake of the Arab Revolt. Part of promises called for the establishment of an independent Arab State or a Confederation of Arab States on the former Turkish provinces of Middle East and Arabic Peninsula. Pressure also came on the proclamation of the Kingodom of Syria under Faisal bin al-Hussein (Faisal I). The solution of this diplomatic episode would be known has the Arab Solution and would affect the status of Palestine.

The negotiations of the three parties ended in the following points: The recognition of the Confederation of Arab States, has an independent confederation of Arab States. UK would guarantee its independence and protection by means of a Defense Treaty, in exchange of keeping its existing protectorates on the South of the Arabic Peninsula. France would have the treatment of most favored nation, along UK. The construction and enlargement of the railroad network would be assigned to French companies. The CAS holds to safeguard the property of French and UK companies. The former provinces of Lebanon and Palestine would be given out has mandates of the League of Nations (LoN) to France and UK. The duration of the mandates will be left until the rights of the minorities are fully guarantee and self government has fully evolved.

The main considerations on establishing the mandates were the deference of the rights and autonomy of the minorities and the possible establishment of a Jewish homeland in the future. The mandate of Lebanon would be assigned to France, which would observe the terms of the Reglement Organique Agreement of 1861 and 1864 for Lebanon. The United Kingdom is assigned the mandate of Palestine.

The CAS states that although it respects the agreement and the administration of the mandate territories by France and the UK it will not for the time being ascend has member of the LoN. Its is understand by the Three Parties Agreement of 1921 that administration of the mandates will considered the participation or voice the concerns of the CAS. Once the administration of the mandates is relinquished, they will joint the League of Nations has full members, along the CAS. The newly independent mandates would decide whether to join or not the CAS. No timeline or blueprint of a possible independence of the mandates is specified, only the obligation of France and UK to promote internal self government.

History
The CAS is confederation is a dissimilar union of religions (Islam, Judaism, Christianism including almost all major branches of these religions), different and cultural historical origins and tribal interests. Arabic is the mayor franca lingua, along important groups that speak Hebrew, Turkish, Kurdish, English and French. There exist different lifestyles that range from the urban Syria and Iraq to the nomadic Bedouins of the Arabic Peninsula. Productive activities that go from the farmers of the Fertile Crescent to the nomadic shepherds of South Arabic Peninsula. Until the discovery and exploitation of oil and gas in the 1930s the economy of the Middle East and Arabic Peninsula was mainly agricultural and commerce. The wealth of this energy resources would allow the construction of major infrastructure and distribution of social services to the people of the CAS.

Uncertain origins and consolidation
The Confederation left to itself would have rapidly dissolved amid tribal and regional conflicts. However is keep together under the Hashemite Dynasty that provides the rulers of Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Hejaz. Along the prestigious key post of Sharif of Mecca. The first generation had already established credentials has unifying leadership during the Arab Revolt. They encouraged overcoming cleavage between Sunni and Shiite to foster common loyalty and promote pan-Arabism. In 1921-1922 Jebel Shammar, Asir and Yemen joined the confederation, keeping their internal autonomy.

The last major clash and dispute of Hashemite power was with the rulers of Nejd. The House of Al-Saud tried to control Mecca in 1925. After a decisive victory of the CAS in Mecca and the seizure of Riyadh that finished in the incorporation of the new Kingdom of Nejd to the confederation. Thanks to weapons provided by the English, the victory of the Hashemites, would establish a de facto hegemony on the decisions of the CAS. After this conflict no other regional group would try again to challenge the Hashemite. An important concession to regionalism would be the establishment of the Consultative Council has a means to consult the opinion of the states on the decisions of the confederation.

A general consensus, due to the religious zeal of the Wahhabism and the Shiite imams in Yemen was that no Arab Caliphate would be established. In exchange the Sharif would also have the titles of Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Believers). There would be no discrimination or differentiation between between Sunni and Shiite and all other Muslim communities, the implementation of a common Pan-Arabic citizenship would be studied. These decisions were publicized has a means to guarantee the religious freedom to Islamic branches and the rest of the religions, in private to keep down religious fanaticism against the non Islamic populations. Also has part of the agreement between Faisal and the Zionist Organization to establish Arab-Jewish cooperation in Palestine.

In 1928 slavery is officially abolished in the CAS by a resolution of the Arab Council and the internal migration controls are abolished.

The wealth of the Oil
The 1930s discovery of oil and gas fields changed the inner workings of the confederation. From a loose alliance established and keep together by the Hashemite Dynasty to a distributor of the wealth of oil and gas. One of the first decisions that shifted more power to the confederation was the monopoly it was given to assign and supervise the concessions, collect the exploitation rights and taxes and establish the relations with western oil extraction companies. The creation of the Arabian Oil and Gas Corporation (Arab OilCorp) in 1940s as an independent body of the Joint Economic Board would accelerate even more the exploration and extraction of gas and oil has it was given out the duties of geological service, administration of the production sharing agreements and the only entity in charge of running and planning the energy extraction sector.

The new income from the oil, prompted a vast plan of public works to bring water and basic services to rural zones. Health and social services where implemented by the member states thanks to their share in the Arab Welfare and Social Development Fund made from the income of the gas and oil taxes. The Industrial development in charge of the Arabian Development Corporation and the Arab Monetary Fund. Some states like Nejd would go farther and eliminate most of the personal taxes on their citizens.

Organization Arab League
The CAS has a confederation gives its member states full autonomy in their internal affairs. The official language is Arabic. Languages that have state members recognition are English, French and Kurdish.Only the organization of the defense and the management of foreign affairs are powers reserved to the confederation. An economic union is established with a common currency, the dinar. Each member state contributes financially to maintain the bureaucracy of the confederation. Major public works such has irrigation, land reclamation, soil conservation, railways, inter-state high-ways, postal telephone and telegraphic services would be administered and planned by a common entity. Its is guarantee the non discriminatory access to water and energy resources.

The city of Damascus is the headquarters of the Arab Council, the common ministries (Defense, Foreign Affairs and Common Treasury), Joint Economic Board, Joint Public Works Administration and the meetings of Ministerial Councils of the Arab States. The Arab Council is the supreme decision making organism, integrated by the rulers of the member states or their representatives. The political chiefs of the governorates participate on an advisory role. It appoints the common ministers, and part of the Joint Economic Board and Joint Public Works Administration. Since 1930 it also appoints the presidents and part of the executive committees of the Arab OilCorp, Welfare and Social Development Fund, Arabian Development Corporation and Arab Monetary Fund,

The Consultative Council established in 1926, whose members are designated by the legislatures of the member states. A reform in 1930s had half of its members elected by the legislatures of the member states and the rest designated by the Arab Council and the rulers of member states. The Supreme Court of Cassation, inaugurated in 1932, to set up to arbitrate disputes between the Confederation and its member states.

The military is organized in the Arab Legion, the United Arab Navy and United Arab Air Force. The chief in command is the Ministry of Defense, usually occupied by an army officer from the Hashemite states. The Arab Legion was financed by Britain and commanded by British officers in its first years. Its main functions besides being the armed forces of the CAS, is to keep order in the governorates and act has gendarme in the zones occupied by the Bedouins. Most of its officers received training from British Officers and in the UK. Vastly expanded in manpower and war material since 1930s. Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Hejaz also have their own armies (Royal Syrian Army, Royal Iraqi Army, Royal Jordanian Army, Royal Hejaz Army). The United Arab Navy and the United Arab Air Force are the only confederal sea and air forces.

Member States
The CAS is integrated by The political chiefs of the governorates are named by the Arab Council.
 * Arab Kingdom of Syria (Damascus)
 * Kingdom of Iraq (Baghdad)
 * Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Amman)
 * Kingdom of Hejaz (Mecca)
 * Emirate of Jebel Shammar (Ha'il), joined in 1921
 * Idrisi Emirate of Asir (Abu Arish, 1920s Abha), joined in 1922
 * Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (Ta'izz, Sanaa), joined in 1922
 * Kingdom of Nejd (Riyadh), joined in 1925 (Sultanate until 1925)
 * Governorate of Al-Ahsa (Al-Ahsa), created in 1926
 * Governorate of Rub' al Khali (Najran), created in 1926