U. S. Policies and Mideast Realities
Laqueur, Walter
U.S. Policies and Mideast Realities By Walter Z. Laqueur London On the last day of 1956, Pravda published an illuminating article by the Egyptian writer Abdel Rahman al Hamisi, entitled "Our...
...These people, apparently, will not be convinced that a danger exists until they see "corrective-labor settlements" and other features of European Communism established in the Middle East...
...This program may appear defeatist...
...In addition, dependence on Middle Eastern oil should be reduced in every possible way, and political and military steps should be taken to protect the oil-producing areas—which, fortunately, are not located in Egypt, Syria or Jordan...
...In these circumstances, the best the West can do is interfere as little as possible in die internal affairs of Syria, Jordan and Egypt and let them become satellites...
...All this would be fit material for satire ii a considerable number of Western policy-makers did not still take it seriously...
...Meanwhile, the West should restrict itself to guaranteeing the frontiers of all pro-Western countries in the Mideast against attack—not only from Russia, but from its satellites as well...
...Once the possibility of Soviet military intervention is removed, the danger of having semi-Communist, semi-Fascist regimes in Damascus...
...in effect, long after twelve, and the pendulum will have to swing full circle before the West can get another chance in Egypt, Syria and Jordan...
...Briefly, on the credit side, doing something is better than doing nothing...
...The Communist elements he originally used for his own political purposes have gradually taken over so many key positions that he is now compelled to bow to their wishes...
...The pros and cons of the "Eisenhower doctrine" have already been analyzed in great detail...
...Syria's President Kuwatly declared that his country "will never become a satellite...
...Indeed, if it is believed that appeasement of Arab governments is vital, the man to invite is dictator Nasser...
...There is nothing the West can do to regain its influence in the three Arab countries named...
...Further U.S...
...was satisfied with "playing second fiddle to the Moscow-Cairo axis" (to use Walter Lippmann's phrase) could the match last...
...It is had enough that the West must ileal with him bccause it needs his oil, but the idea that he can use his good offices to improve relations with Cairo, Amman and Damascus (where he allegedly has influence) is fantastic...
...The "Eisenhower doctrine" has since become a primary target of the Egyptian press...
...Admittedly, a deal with Nasser is impossible for different reasons, but an effort to use King Saud is simply a joke...
...Then it goes on to state that Egypt's fight against Britain and France was only the beginning of the struggle...
...Practically speaking, therefore, he must follow the policy pursued by the openly pro-Soviet junta in Damascus (made up of Akram Haurani, Khaled Bakhdash, and Colonels Abdel Serraj, Ta'am Avd and Ahmed Guda), and by pro-Soviet leaders in Amman, where King Hussein is now a mere figurehead...
...From a long-range point of view, this is not as absurd as it may seem at first sight...
...inactivity would have led the Arabs to believe that it has no direct, vital interest in the Mideast...
...In Cairo, Amman and Damascus, the reaction was righteous indignation...
...had turned his defeat in Sinai into a diplomatic victory...
...It appears extremely doubtful that the Soviet Union will be able to hold most of its East European satellites without military threats and other pressures...
...What, then, can be done...
...The best solution for all concerned, especially the inhabitants of the countries involved, would be a U.S...
...It is equally unlikely that the Eisenhower doctrine or any other plan will be able to prevent the eventual satellization of two or more Arab countries if the majority of the local political elite really want pro-Soviet regimes—as they certainly do...
...in the coming phase the United States will be the Arabs' chief enemy...
...It is...
...The prerequisite for this, however, is the realization that it is no longer "5 minutes to 12" in Syria, Jordan and Egypt...
...The Arab world receives hundreds of millions of dollars each year from its oil revenues...
...And Syrian Communist leader Khaled Bakhdash announced in Damascus that his party stood for Arab nationalism, not Communism, and that the same was true of all the Arab countries...
...He is also a fool whose corrupt regime is cordially detested throughout the Arab world...
...The article begins by applauding the Soviet Army for routing the Western imperialists who sought to enslave the Hungarian people...
...Nor docs it provide for stemming the present tide in these countries toward satellization...
...On the debit side, however, the new doctrine is not likely to prevent another Mideast war...
...The Communist danger was a complete myth, said Nasser, echoed by Jordan's leaders and press...
...Unfortunately, though, such a deal in the near future seems out of the question...
...In time, moreover, they will be the victims of a \ iolent reaction because thev will not be able to solve the serious economic and social difficulties plaguing their countries...
...Fortunately, those who tend to evaluate conditions more realistically now appear to be prevailing in Washington...
...The idea that economic assistance, even on a large scale, could possibly affect their political attitudes is basically wrong...
...Our purpose'" means the establishment of a sphere of influence headed by Egypt...
...He is a staunch friend of the U.S., or, at least, of U.S...
...Many Syrian and Egyptian papers have featured similar statements...
...Anything more specific, involving attempts to form a new area-defense alliance, for instance, would be worse than ineffective: It would provide ammunition for Soviet propaganda against the "new colonialism...
...Only as long as the U.S...
...But this would only antagonize its natural allies, without gaining Arab friendship, for Moscow can always provide more extreme support...
...How was the Eisenhower doctrine received in Arab capitals generally...
...why-should $100 or $200 million more make a real difference...
...But there is little doubt that the Kremlin would be tempted to move in via local wars and "volunteers" if it were convinced that the Administration was committed to neo-iso-lationism...
...Washington, to be sure, might persuade Britain and France to "limit their commitments in the Middle East,'' and force Israel to accept Arab demands...
...deal with Moscow whereby the West swapped Egypt and Syria for Poland and Hungary...
...Finally, if some of the energy recently displayed vis-a-vis the Middle East was shifted to Eastern Europe, the general world outlook would be much brighter...
...It needs lime and freedom to work itself out, to dissolve...
...This is because it fails to deal with Soviet aggression by proxy, i.e., by Syria, Jordan or Egypt...
...Policies and Mideast Realities By Walter Z. Laqueur London On the last day of 1956, Pravda published an illuminating article by the Egyptian writer Abdel Rahman al Hamisi, entitled "Our Struggle Goes On.' A member of the "Tali'a" group of Communist writers which has assumed key posts in the Egyptian press and radio during the past year, he has often served as mouthpiece for Cairo's ruling junta...
...As the semi-official Cairo newspaper Al Ahram said on January 1: "For our purpose, political aid is far more important than economic aid...
...Colonel Nasser's continuing desire to play Moscow against Washington may raise some question on this score, but his freedom of action has become more and more restricted...
...Nevertheless, observers were surprised that Nasser felt strong enough to renounce American aid a mere eight weeks after the U.S...
...it is utterly realistic...
...This marked the end of the honeymoon begun on October 28, when Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser ordered his journalists to refrain from criticizing the U.S...
...Painfully amusing approaches io the Middle East problem, nevertheless, are still being pursued...
...King Saud of Saudi Arabia, for example, is now on his way to Washington...
...The danger of a Soviet military invasion may seem remote at present...
...On the other hand, there is an excellent chance that the extreme pro-Soviet bubble there will ultimately burst...
...On the contrary, it will only serve as further proof to the radical Arab intelligentsia, the power elite in the Middle East, that the West seeks its allies among the most reactionary elements...
...He does have influence in the area, and he is neither so corrupt nor so universally despised...
...Something can be said, too, in favor of the vague character of the pledge to defend the Middle East against outside attack...
...This cannot be furthered by the U.S., only by the Soviet Union...
...dollars...
...To be sure, if there were Westerners who saw Mao Tse-tung as a mere "agrarian reformer," why shouldn't some now give Nasser and King Hussein of Jordan the benefit of the doubt...
...They fail to realize that the absence of these characteristics does not mean the countries cited may not become (indeed, have not already partly become) Soviet satellites...
...Amman and Cairo is less formidable than one might think...
...Of course, it was obvious that the honeymoon would end whenever Washington decided to take a stand against the growth of Soviet influence in the Middle East...
Vol. 40 • January 1957 • No. 4
