During the early 20th century, British imperialists were concerned, mostly, about protecting the jewel of the British Empire, India. India was the only part of the Empire from which the British government profited. This money was made from many sources including the trading of cotton, silk, indigo and other products from India.
The British government in India also extracted taxes from the local population. The British often worried about Russian advancement toward India. In order to protect India, the British planned to place strategic military bases in Iraq and use military occupation as a form of control. Another consideration for British leaders was the Suez Canal in Egypt; imperialists believed that British shipping and military interests would benefit from its control.
British diplomat Mark Syke recognized such interests and, while negotiating the Sykes-Picot agreement of 1916, which later became part of the Treaty of Versailles, made sure that the British would have control over what is today known as Iraq (made up of the three former Ottoman districts: Basra, Mosul, and Baghdad).
