3 - Local Militaries and Intensified British Interests

Summary

The establishment of landing sites for the Britain-to-Asia air route and burgeoning British oil production and exploration activities in the 1930s made the domestic stability of Britain’s protected states in the Gulf a far more pressing concern for Britain than before. Thus, as World War II approached, Britain was spurred to review its security arrangements in Eastern Arabia. War brought into sharp relief the fact that Britain’s interests in the area – primarily the burgeoning oil sector and the strategic air route – were starting to outgrow the naval-centric presence. Yet Britain remained reluctant to commit more military resources to the region, especially for internal security duties. To bridge this gap, Britain ramped up its pressure on the local rulers to enhance their indigenous capabilities to maintain order over their territories. Indian independence in 1947 profoundly affected British involvement in the small Gulf Arab states. Britain turned away from its previous hands-off approach to the internal affairs of the protected states as well as Muscat and Oman. The prospect that local governments might take on greater responsibility for their own security became increasingly attractive to Britain at a time when its ability to project military power abroad was diminishing.