![]() ![]() Moreover, Johnston also underestimated that peculiar Arabgenius for self destructive dissension - assuming that once merger had become a faitaccompli, logic, self interest and HMG’s support would do the rest.Īden had been described to Harding as a well-run, bustling, modern city with arelatively sophisticated infrastructure and an efficient public service. But withoutincluding Aden it could never have been economically viable.Īs Harding points out the federal constitution hammered out by Governor Johnstonwas virtually unworkable. One model advocated by Kennedy Trevaskis, British Agent for theOffice of the WAP Office, had already been adopted by some rulers in 1959. Various British versions of a Federation - not including Aden - had been mootedsince the early 1930s. He firmly believed that only Arabs could findtheir true destiny and that trying to impose our own creation upon them was theworst thing to do. Ingrams was strongly against the concept of the (then) newly inaugurated“Federation of South Arabian Amirates” which comprised six of the leading WesternAden Protectorate states and Aden. If it had, its story could have been verydifferent, even with a hostile Yemen on its borders.īefore going to Aden, Harding lunched with Harold Ingrams, famous for hispacification of the Eastern Aden Protectorate as described in his book Arabia and theIsles. Unlike the Gulf States,however, the Federation contained no oil. ![]() He contrasts this with the huge success ofthe creation of the United Arab Emirates after a similar period. In his preface he relates the sad collapse of the ill fated South Arabian Federation in1967, after 128 years of British connection. His recall ofconversations and candid comments enliven the book throughout. John Harding’s description of his personal odyssey as a young political officer inAden between 1960-65 is both fascinating and amazingly detailed. It has an excellent index and the black and white photographs, all by theauthor, are of a high quality. Roads to Nowhere is a major contribution to that end.Eminently readable, informative, entertaining and humorous it is also scholarly and wellresearched. In his foreword to John Harding’s remarkable book, Lord Luce stresses the importanceof preserving the record of those who had the privilege of colonial service during theEmpire’s closing years. Roads To Nowhere: A South Arabian Odyssey, 1960-1965 ![]()
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