When it comes to middle-east policy, it seems those in charge have always ignored the experts on the subject.
A map showing TE Lawrence's proposal for partitioning of land in the Arab world following WWI will be on display for the first time in London's "Imperial War Museum".
The linked map graphic is very interesting, just hard to read.
Jeremy Wilson, Lawrence biographer and historical adviser to the exhibition, said the discovery of the map was "particularly interesting" because "it suggests that Lawrence's proposals were taken fairly seriously, at least in London".
Mr Wilson added that the proposals "would have provided the region with a far better starting point than the crude imperial carve-up agreed by Sykes and Georges-Picot".
Meanwhile, Hania Farhan, regional director of the Middle East and North Africa, Economist Intelligence Unit, said: "The map shows that the opinions of those who knew the region well were often ignored, as the colonial powers in London and Paris had their own agendas and did not appear to care about the facts on the ground or the people of those areas.
More at the beeb.