Why didn´t the former British colonies in the Arab world join the Commonwealth?

Baloo55th

Apart from Aden, they weren't colonies. British protection was extended to the smaller Arab states on the Gulf in some cases before but mainly after the Turkish Empire was dismantled. These states later achieved full independence by taking responsibility for their own defence and foreign affairs. They were always in charge of their home affairs, unlike colonies would be. In the case of Aden, the town and nearby area was run as a British colony, but the bulk of the area known as Aden consisted of more protectorate states - Hadramaut, Shihr and Mukalla, Qishn and Socotra and Seiyun and other smaller ones. When the British started to wind down, Aden and some of the protectorate territories became the South Arabian Federation, but after overcoming their rivals FLOSY the NLF took over in all the territories and the whole lot becams South Yemen. (It's now merged with the original Yemen.) As they didn't particularly like the British, and only Aden town had had a real British presence, they didn't want to join the Commonwealth. Not all former British possessions joined the Commonwealth. When Ireland became a republic it didn't, nor did Burma. Dec 01 06, 5:12 AM