Air control in Iraq reshaped British interwar force structure

The book passage follows a Cabinet search for a cheaper way to hold Iraq than three Army divisions. RAF air control, supported by Indian battalions and armored cars, promised a lower annual cost and won responsibility for Iraq and Palestine. That substitution preserved air strength while shrinking the Army's commitments and budgetary justification, prompting resistance over armored-car support and showing how one economical mission can redistribute an entire defense establishment. The War Office's effort to withhold armored-car support illustrates how a service could resist a substitution that threatened its future manpower and mechanization.