Evening star., 1957-04-26
Senate Scrutiny Possible
On U. S. Jordan Policy /
3 intervention Of outside Arab

states. notably Egypt.
Whether involvement Of the
Soviet Union in the Middle East
crisis would give the United
States the right to apply the
Eisenhower doctrine remained
q debatable point today. At his
regular briefing yesterday, State
Department Press Officer White
brushed on as lily" ques-
tions about the conditions
under which the United States
would give aid to Jordan. He
said no aid had been asked OF
Offered Ito my knowledge"
It was recalled, however, that
lat the time Of congressional
hearings on the Middle East
doctrine, Mr.. Dulles was quizzed
closely about applicability Of
the doctrine. At that time he
made it clear that internal SUBJ
version was not to be considered
q ground for applying the doc
trine. but rather actual, armed,
across-the- border aggression by
10 foreign state under Commu-
mist domination would be the
chief criterion.
3 Conditions for Doctrine
Unless three conditions are
fulfilled in the Jordanian crisis.
most observers believe the doc
|trine will not be applied. These
three conditions are:
/. An actual armed invasion
from q neighboring country.
(The most likely nominee:
lSyria.)
2. A call for help from King
lHussein.
3. A determination on the part
Iof the United States that the
invading country (e.g., Syria)
was under Communist domina-
ton.
In addition to these three
points. there would be for prac-
Itical purposes q fourth: Desire
on the part Of the United States
to get involved in the situation.
There was widespread specula-
ton here that no such desire
exists. and that the administra-
ton hopes it can avoid going
any closer to the brink of war.
Richards Mission Raped
Russia takes the view, for
propaganda purposes. that Am
bassador Richards trip to the
Arab countries has been a flop.
In an Arabic language propa-
ganda broadcast, the Soviet ra-
dio said:
1T Is known that the princi-
pal aim of Richards tour was to
impose the Eisenhower doctrine
on the Arab countries which
have adopted the road of posi-
tive neutrality. Richards did
not achieve his aim. It is
worth noting that while in Ye-
men he did not meet the Imam
He also was not successful in
his negotiations with the Su-
danese government the fail
ure Of Richards mission in the
Sudan created particular bitter
ness for the men in Washington.
They never expected that the
Sudan would refuse. They ex-
|pected to transform the Sudan
into a base for their imperiaiist
policy against Egypt. They
wanted the Sudan to agree to
receive the knife from Ameri-
can hands and to stick it In
Egypt's back. But the Sudan
refused to be an American
agent"
An ace in the hole. as far as
the United States is concerned,
Is King Saud OF saudi Arabia.
Though the Saudi chieftain he.
long held his Hashimite cousins
in Jordan in low esteem. he is
now King Hussein's staunch sup
porter and-it is speculated--
may even become a transmission
belt for United States aid. Such
q role would serve a dual pur-
pose Of giving Hussein help with
out committing the United States
under the Eisenhower doctrine,
and at the same time avoiding
embarrassment to Hussein.
Also supporting Hussein in his
struggle to retain power Is Iraq,
the only Arab member of the
Baghdad pact. Like Jordan and
Saudi Arabia. Iraq is a kingdom,
and some observers speculate
that the Saudi and Iraqi positions
are based on a desire to keep
the concept Of kingship alive,
far more than to keep Jordan In
business.