Glubb, Sir John Bagot

Glubb, Sir John Bagot (băg`ət), 1897–1986, British soldier. He served in France during World War I and in 1920 was posted to Iraq, where he lived among Arab Bedouins and studied their language and culture. After serving (1926–30) as administrative inspector for the Iraqi government, Glubb was transferred to Jordan and attached to the Arab Legion, of which he assumed command in 1939. A trusted friend and personal adviser of King Abdullah, he made the legion the best-trained force in the Arab world. However, during the Arab-Israeli War of 1956, public opinion forced his dismissal. He is often referred to as Glubb Pasha. Glubb's many writings include The Story of the Arab Legion (1948), A Soldier with the Arabs (1957), and Britain and the Arabs (1959).