The most important Article 'in the Iraq Treaty, so far
as the obligations of this country are concerned, is un- doubtedly the seventh, by which " His Britannic. Majesty undertakes to provide such support and assistance for the armed forces of His Majesty the King of Iraq as may from time to time be agreed by the.High Contracting Parties." A separate agreement is to be drawn up regulating " the extent and conditions of such support and assistance," and is to be communicated to the Council of the League of Nations. We hope that Parliament, before ratifying the Treaty, will insist on being told some- thing more definite as to the " extent and conditions " of our commitments under this Article. The Treaty should certainly not be ratified until the full text of the separate agreements, covering our financial as well as military obligations, has been properly discussed. It will be noticed that " that blessed word Mesopotamia " has now disappeared from official language. We sincerely trust that Iraq will befound-to have a less expensive connotation for the British taxpayer.
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