Air Power, Insurgency and the “War on Terror” - Prof. Joel Hayward's ...

Royal <strong>Air</strong> Force Operations in South-West Arabia 1917-1967
British officers in continual contact with aircraft in all those districts
most open to Zeidi attack, checked <strong>the</strong> rapacity of <strong>the</strong> Imam. 89
The pressure on <strong>the</strong> Imam was such that an Anglo-Yemeni Treaty was signed in February
1934 to regularise <strong>the</strong> border. In return for British recognition of some modest territorial
gains, <strong>the</strong> Imam agreed to respect <strong>the</strong> Anglo-Turkish border, subject to final settlement
at a future date. Paradoxically, <strong>the</strong> immediate effect was to force <strong>the</strong> British to address <strong>the</strong>
endemic lawlessness of <strong>the</strong> Protectorates. Within Yemen itself, travellers were relatively
safe, but <strong>the</strong> Imam now dem<strong>and</strong>ed that steps be taken to ensure that <strong>the</strong> trade routes
were secure once <strong>the</strong> border had been crossed. This precipitated a radical change in <strong>the</strong>
relationship with <strong>the</strong> tribes; an outcome that had not been anticipated.
Continued British tolerance for <strong>the</strong> tribes’ custom of exacting “taxes” on travellers now
threatened to undermine <strong>the</strong> successful efforts to secure <strong>the</strong> border with Yemen. Yet, to
control <strong>the</strong> trade routes, control had to be obtained over <strong>the</strong> tribes through whose territory
<strong>the</strong> trade routes passed. Hardly had <strong>the</strong> treaty been promulgated before <strong>the</strong> Resident
was forced to take action against <strong>the</strong> Queteibi tribe – <strong>the</strong> “Wolves of <strong>the</strong> Radfan” – for
waylaying a Yemeni caravan <strong>and</strong> looting <strong>the</strong> contents (some sixty miles north of Aden).
After confirming <strong>the</strong> identity of those responsible <strong>and</strong> having offered an alternative to
being bombed (in <strong>the</strong> form of a fine <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> surrender of <strong>the</strong> culprits or approved hostages)
an ultimatum was issued proscribing <strong>the</strong> tribe’s villages <strong>and</strong> fields until <strong>the</strong> terms were
complied with. 90 When <strong>the</strong> ultimatum expired ten days later, <strong>the</strong> tribe’s principle villages
were bombed (largely employing 5lb bomblets) <strong>and</strong> an aerial blockade initiated. This
involved an enormous effort, but it so disrupted <strong>the</strong> tribe’s activities that after two months
<strong>the</strong> Qutebis submitted <strong>and</strong> met <strong>the</strong> government’s dem<strong>and</strong>s in full. There were no direct
deaths or injuries during <strong>the</strong> air action although several casualties did occur as a result of
tribesmen tampering with unexploded bombs.
Between <strong>the</strong> wars <strong>the</strong> RAF conducted 26 separate air operations within <strong>the</strong> Aden
Protectorate. The majority were conducted in response to persistent b<strong>and</strong>itry or to
restore <strong>the</strong> Government’s authority. Excluding operations against Yemeni forces – which
had effectively ceased by 1934 – a total of twelve deaths were attributed to air attacks
conducted between 1919 <strong>and</strong> 1939. Typical of <strong>the</strong>se internal policing actions were <strong>the</strong>
operations undertaken in December 1937 against <strong>the</strong> Mansuri tribe in <strong>the</strong> Eastern Aden
Protectorate who had attempted to waylay a British expedition exploring <strong>the</strong> region.
The operations against <strong>the</strong> Mansuris were of <strong>the</strong> usual pattern.
Due to <strong>the</strong> warning of impending attack, given to allow women
<strong>and</strong> tribesmen to be conveyed to safety, no tribesman was hurt. The
women were comfortably housed nearby <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> tribesmen spent
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<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Power</strong>, <strong>Insurgency</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> “War on Terror”