As Colonial Secretary, Churchill sought agreements that would give the Middle East durable borders and political stability. The discussion follows British arrangements concerning Jordan, Iraq and the Hejaz. The Hejaz example follows a long, narrow territory along the Red Sea coast through Tabuk, Yanbu, Medina, Jeddah and Mecca, and discusses its eventual absorption into Saudi Arabia. T. E. Lawrence is described as favourably assessing Churchill's work in guiding the conference towards agreement. Responsibility for the regional settlement is shared, and the account does not assign every consequence to Churchill alone.
Chapter · 34:18-37:16
The Cairo settlement and the search for durable borders
The Cairo Conference raises the problem of turning an imperial settlement into a stable regional order.