The Legacy of Sykes–Picot: How the West Contained the Arab Nation
John Churchilly
When the Ottoman Empire collapsed in the early 20th century, the Arab world stood on the edge of a historic possibility. For the first time in centuries, the peoples of the region could have formed a unified Arab state stretching from the Mediterranean to the Gulf — a state with the population, resources, and strategic depth to become a major world power.
But Britain and France saw that possibility as a threat, not a future. Fearing that a united Arab nation would emerge as a strong empire capable of shaping its own destiny, the two powers moved quickly to prevent it. Their solution was the Sykes–Picot Agreement of 1916, a secret accord that carved the Arab homeland into artificial zones of influence. Borders were drawn with a ruler, not with regard to history, culture, or geography. The goal was simple: divide the Arabs so they could never rise as a single force.
This fragmentation also created the conditions for the establishment of Israel in 1948 — a project supported by the same Western powers. Israel’s placement between the Levant and North Africa effectively separated Arab Asia from Arab Africa, ensuring that no unified geopolitical bloc could form across the region’s two halves.
The long-term consequences are still visible today. Every Arab country inherited borders and political structures designed to limit its potential. And whenever an Arab state attempts to industrialize, modernize, or pursue independent policy beyond the “red lines,” it faces pressure — historically from Britain and France, and today primarily from the United States. The pattern is consistent: Arab progress is tolerated only within boundaries drawn by external powers.
In the end, the story of Sykes–Picot is not just about the past. It is a reminder that the fragmentation of the Arab world was intentional — and that the struggle for genuine sovereignty and development continues to this day.
2- ZIONISM’S NEW PLAN IN IRAQ AND SYRIA ON THE CENTENARYOF THE BALFOUR DECLARATION AND SYKES-PICOT
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