WI: No Lawrence of Arabia?

Lawrence of Arabia spurred and lead the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire in World War I. What, if any effect, might there have been if Lawrence was not there to participate? You may use any POD that would cause this, whether it be Lawrence not being born, Lawrence dying early, or simply not gaining an interest Arabic culture or even joining the military.
 
Lawrence of Arabia spurred and lead the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire in World War I. What, if any effect, might there have been if Lawrence was not there to participate? You may use any POD that would cause this, whether it be Lawrence not being born, Lawrence dying early, or simply not gaining an interest Arabic culture or even joining the military.

As outlined by 'TE Lawrence: An Arab View' and Spielberg's famous quote 'Lawrence was made at the last possible time that you could get away with making a movie so historically inaccurate', Lawrence's role is always hugely overstated. He was a brave man whose combat record is not up for debate, but without him the revolt would have occurred (it is wrong to say he led it) and some other British officer would have negotiated the arming of the Arabs.

More nuanced outcomes, like a different post-Ottoman Levantine map and a different place in history for Faisal, are very likely however.
 

Cook

Banned
What, if any effect, might there have been if Lawrence was not there to participate?
Not much, they weren’t militarily significant to the campaign in Palestine and Syria. They played a nuisance role only. It might mean the British wouldn’t back the wrong horse by choosing Faisal.
 
Not much, they weren’t militarily significant to the campaign in Palestine and Syria. They played a nuisance role only. It might mean the British wouldn’t back the wrong horse by choosing Faisal.

Even "not much" might be an overstatement. Arab irregulars were never a significant factor in the Palestine and Syria campaigns (not to mention that the Hashemites were always trying to play a middle game between Ottomans and British, and get money, supplies and promises from both.
I doubt there was a "right horse", either. Ibn Saud proved a much stronger ruler, and after the war kicked out the Hashemites from Hejaz with almost a contemptous ease, but I doubt that he might have proven useful in Syria.

Note that the Ottomans tried to recruit bedouin tribes for the campaign against the Suez canal, but with similar poor results (and like the British they were gouged when purchasing camels) .
 

Cook

Banned
Even "not much" might be an overstatement.
It did result in the rather unique situation of Australian soldiers arming Turkish prisoners, and jointly manning the defenses against their Arab ‘allies’ who had wanted to slaughter the prisoners. One of those situations that, if you'd made it up, would have people screaming ASB!
 
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