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

have alienated the Iraqis, Saudis
and Lebanese and have stimu-
lated upheavals in Jordan and
Syria.
Col. Nasser's idea. for instance,
that all Arabs should share in
oil profits EGYPT has almost no
OLD have distressed the countries
growing fat on oil. And his ex-
ample of revolution has fright.
Iened the monarchies and die
tatorships. His Irritation with
Communists and rejection Of
the West has disturbed countries
which know they can benefit
from ties with the West.
So the united Arabs" find they
can agree on almost nothing but
hatred for Israel. There are Of
course many common interests
among the Arabs. and some sort
of pan-Arabism may not be Just
IA pipedream. But, Col. Nasser's
impulsiveness and lack of FORE
sight have made his own efforts
fail.
incidentally, observers here
feel that Col. Nasser would like
to be the Arab leader some day,
but they doubt if that ambition
is so burning 1t is warping his
thoughts.
Israel. Col Nasser shares the
Arab belief that the Palestine
Jews had a right to live there
in peace in the Arab community
and the conviction that creation
of a Jewish state was an ag-
erosion against the Arabs. He
also distrusts Israel's democratic
socialism and says the history
of Israeli expansionism is an OBJ
vious one. And it's all a Western
imperialist plot.
/ In the early days of the regime
1t was thought Col. Nasser merely
wanted to white Israel down a
little and then let her exist, with
out ever trading or cooperating
with her.
! But the easy success of Israel
raids on GAIA and the Sinai
invasion made relations with Is
rael something to be measured
in terms of sovereignty and dig
nifty. In some way he has to get
back at Israel. This does not
necessarily mean destruction Of
the little country. but at the
same time. Arab passions make
1t difficult for him to contemplate
anything short of that.
1 OF course, there is nothing he
can do directly about Israel now.
His army isn't strong enough.
But some day the army will be
a good one.
/ Meanwhile, he can give a stub
born no to any suggestion he ease
Egypt's blockade Of Israel.
On the balance Col. Nasser's
policy on Israel has not been a
success. In the early days when
peace was possible he blew it.
Now. with Egypt madden and
Israel tougher. neither peace nor
successful war seems possible,
That's rough on mans dignity.
Reforms. Even most Israelis
will concede that in the Begin
ming Col. Nasser wanted all the
right things for his people: An
honest government, a decent
standard of living. social and
economic opportunity for all and
an atmosphere conducive to good
Plus Moslem life.
He has given Egypt its first
honest government in memory.
But other honest citizens did not
step forward with sincere help
for the revolution. Col. Nasser
has written of his deep disap-
Ipointrnent that honesty and self
lesSness seemed confined to his
own small group. So honesty In
government seems a fact, but
wide participation in that gov
eminent is to Col. Nasser's way
of thinking long way of.
The standard of living has
gone down. Egypt would need
the Aswan Dam today just to
keep pace with expected popula-
ton growth, but instead of prof.
ects to reclaim land and reform
agriculture, Egypt has spent its
money and effort on obtaining
arms and fighting with its enc
mics.
Most developmental projects
were dependent on sale of cotton
abroad and foreign aid money.
Now the cotton has gone to Com
munist countries in barter deals
for arms, wheat and oil, and no
one is offering Egypt any aid
money. Development plans must
be laid aside or curtailed. Mean
while. the population continues
to grow.
The whole economy is slowing
down. so the Nasser group can
not offer its people more eco
lnomic opportunity. There is
some solace, however, in the land
reform program which appar-
emily has spelled the doom Of
the large landowner and the
abuses of the land and the peas
antry they permitted.
Along with the deflation Of
the landlord went a democrats
cation Of the aristocracy. The
pashas and beys lost their titles
and privileges and, of course, the
old corrupt king and his crowd
were given the heave-ho. Egypt
certainly benefited.
So this is the picture of the
man who is trying to make the
Middle East uncomfortable for
American foreign policy. He
seems in many ways to be in