Evening star., 1942-07-01
Where Does Egypt Stand?

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lied legions driving swiftly across
the desert approaches toward Alex
andra and the Nile. the attitude of
the Egyptian government and people
becomes of growing significance.
Egypt has thus far presented a SEEM
ing paradox. 1t is bound to Britain
by treaty of alliance signed in 1886
and has broken relations with the
Axis powers during the present war.
Axis, and its army of some 10000
troops, British trained and equipped,
has taken no part in the fighting
even on the two occasions when Axis
forces have invaded Egyptian soil.
This seemingly inconsistent atti-
tude has led to many rumors that
Egypt was not living up to its treaty
obligations and was even secretly
pro-AXis But a review Of past Anglo
Egyptian relations and the circum-
stances under which the current
treaty was signed show that Egypt
has been playing the role which both
the British and Egyptian negotiators
understood she would play if a major
war should break out.
Britain's interest in Egypt centerS
around the Suez Canal To control
and protect that vital waterway is
one of the cardinal points in British
imperial policy. Until 1922, Britain
accomplished this by holding Egypt
in subsection, more or less camou-
faged. This policy, however, aroused
an increasingly bitter nationalist
movement Alive to the danger Of a
hostile Egypt held down by sheer
force, Britain attempted a compro-
mise by which Egypt should attain
practical independence tempered by
safeguards of British imperial inter-
estS, especially in wartime. What
Britain wanted primarily was, not
Egypt'S armed assistance, but free
hand to use Egyptian territory for
the defense of imperial communica-
tions. Egypt's militarily passive role
is obviously foreseen and provided for
in Article VII of the Treaty of 1886,
which reads:
The aid of His Majesty the King
of Egypt in the event of war, immi-
nent menace of war, or apprehended
international emergency will consist
in furnishing to His Majesty the King
and Emperor on Egyptian territory,
in accordance with the Egyptian sys-
tenn of administration and legisla-
ton, all the facilities and assistance
in his power, including the use of his
.ports, aerodromes, and means Of
communication"
That is precisely what the Egyptian
government has done. The British
Army, Navy and Air Force have used
Egyptian territory throughout the
war Just as if it were their own. The
Egyptian Army, though relatively
large In numbers, Is newly organized
and not we'll equipped for up-to-date
mechanical warfare. Previous to
1886 it was only token force OF
few thousand men, mostly infantry
and cavalry, for show and the salts
faction of national pride rather than
for actual use. The Egyptians
frankly do not want to throw these
unprepared troops into the cauldron
in a cause which they do not feel is
intimately their own.
For let us clearly understand that,
though Egypt is not pro-Axis, neither
is it British The Egyptians have
seen too much of the rough side of
Western imperialism to become en-
thusiastic over Western professions
or watchwords They tend to favor
the United Nations because they fear
the Axis powers would treat them
more harShly, remembering the IA
BILE of King Log and King Stork. But
| what they really want is complete
! independence of any form Of foreign
| control. Unfortunately for them,
Egypt's strategic situation and nat
ural wealth render full isolation i'm
possible for a small nation with
| limited possibilities of Self-defense.
What the Egyptian government will
I do if the Axis actually invades the
/ heart Of the country is as yet uncer-
| tain. So long as the threat was re-
mote, the Egyptian people obviously
did not want actively to enter the
war, and their army was not ready
for the task 1t may be that an i'm
! minent invasion will transform the
popular attitude. Only the event can