Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-22

himself with Egypt's destiny. He
has no faith in the ability Of
others to run things. so. for the
good of Egypt-and Col. Nasser
-he seeks to retain power.
That is why, even British Dip
lomats here said before the Suez
war, he won't resign under pres
sure. Anyone who wants to
topple him will have to march
into Cairo to do it.
Obviously Col. Nasser has sue
ceeded in holding his power. No
lone today seriously threatens
Ihim. His shortcomings are mo-
Eticeable to all alert Egyptians,
lbut his strong points have MAIN
ltained his popularity.
Dignity. He wants all Egyp-
tians to be proud and look the
world in the eye. and persons
there who have known Egyptians
before and since Col. Nasser
say he has indeed brought more
dignity to them. Their standard
Of living may be lower, but
they have defied their old mas
tiers and got away with it.
OF course. Israel did clobber
them in two wars, but they can
find mitigating circumstances in
each case. First, the corrupt
Farouk regime withheld the
tools of victory from the superior
Egyptian Army, and second, two
great powers, Britain and France,
interfered to keep a surprised
Egypt under Col. Nasser from
turning on the Israeli invaders
and driving them back to Tel
Aviv.
i The Egyptians also seem to be
convincing themselves they held
the British and French at Port
Said and that the city was IAN
other Stalingrad." Any calm
person who was at Port Said
knows this is ridiculous-the de-
tense was poor, the British and
French stopped themselves and
Port Said suffered extremely
light destruction compared with
any World War II city that
really defended itself.
1 Perhaps the Egyptians realize
some of this, as their talk about
the heroes of Port Said" has
something of a ring of hysteria.
Maybe they are just trying to
override their own doubts. But
Egypt did come out of a bad
jam without serious harm; so
points were scored for dignity.
Independence. The Nasser
group wants to be completely
free of foreign domination. and
Z did kick out the British. Even
foreign businesses now are being
EgyptianiZed. So Col. Nasser
feels he has won the battle for
freedom.
But he also believes the price
Iof freedom is eternal vigilance
over the Vaccinations Of the old
imperialists and their agent,
Israel. The recent Suez War
and current efforts to impose
international control on his ca
nal las he sees it, have made
him surer than ever that the
West will snatch this new in
dependence away if he relaxes on
IA single issue.
Does he think his closer ties
with Russia also threaten his
independence? He has told in
Inmates that this must be
guarded against, but he does not
believe the Communists have any
direct designs on Egypt. He
thinks the Communists are
blunt and obvious. He can han
OIe ttlaC type.
Neutrality. Like George WASH
ington, Col. Nasser is determined
ito avoid foreign ENHANCEMENT,
But unlike George. he wants the
good things two rival entanglers
can give him. So he would like
to remain aloof from both, but
get help from both.
Only one side says it will play
that way: the Communists. His
game, America believes. is dan
gerous for the whole free world
Americas unwillingness to let
him have his own foreign policy
he says. drives him toward the
Communists.
Col. Nasser still counts him.
self among the worlds positive
Ineutrals," however. and attempts
to explain to him the long range
danger inherent in his deals with
Russia make no Roadway.
/ 1t cannot be said that Egypt
is in the Soviet camp today,
There are probably some 1000
to 5000 Iron Curtain advisers IN
Egypt. but as far as can be de-
termined they keep to their tech
meal jobs. Russia does not make
Egyptian foreign policy. Russia
doesn't need to. as Egypt wants
just what Russia wants at this
time in the Middle East: An end
to western influence and no end
of trouble over Israel.
The day of reckoning no doubt
will come. But Col. Nasser has a
hard time thinking that one
through.
Arab Unity. On this point, al
most everything Col. Nasser has
touched has turned to dross. The
Nasser attempts to lead the Arab
world along lines he thinks best
nders, Ex-Heud