1. Politics of the Middle East
Pan-Arabism
and
The Arab Cold War

2. Sati' al-Husri “How Strange”
We rebelled against the English; we rebelled against the French ...We rebelled against those who colonized our land and tried to enslave us ...We repeated the red revolutions many times, and we continued with our white revolutions over a number of years ...And for this we endured so much suffering, sustained so many losses, and sacrificed so many lives ...But, When we finally gained our liberty, we began to sanctify the borders that they had instituted after they had divided our land ...And we forgot that these borders were but the boundaries of the "solitary confinement" and the "house arrest" which they had imposed on us!

3. Pan Arabism/ Arab Nationalism
In 1911, Muslim intellectuals and politicians formed al-Fatat ("the Young Arab Society")
Arab Congress of 1913 in Paris, discuss desired reforms
Arab Revolt during the First World War
Damascus became the center of the Arab nationalist movement

4. Consequential Events for the Arab Nationalist Cause
1956 Suez Crisis, Egypt
1962 – 70 North Yemen Civil War
Proxy conflict between Egypt and Saudi
1967 Six Day War
Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon vs Israel
1973 October War
Israel vs Egypt, Syria
1978 Camp David Agreement
Israel - Egypt

5. Pan Arab Ideology
“unite all the Arabic-speaking peoples within a single country.”
Arab specific doctrine of liberation
End of Western influence
Removal of Arab governments dependent on the West
Secular state informed by Islamic principles

7. Egypt, Nasserism Three Circles Theory: Ideology
Arab
African
Islamic
Ideology
Socialism
Independence
non-alignment
Arab unity under Egyptian hegemony

8. Super Power Competition
The success of Nasserism depended upon 4 conditions
1) advanced weaponry
2) healthy, independent economy
3) ideology of transnational appeal
4) influence on the world stage
Marshall Tito: maximize foreign aid and political clout in the context of the Cold War
Avoid dependence on either of the competing powers
Egypt belonged to no defense pact, hosted no foreign bases, and professed neither capitalism nor communism

9. Nasser’s Strategy
(Soviet Model) Agriculture was to be transformed from above into an industrial powerhouse
substituting state enterprise for private property and local production for foreign imports
Manipulate super powers through neutrality
Appeal ideologically to the regional and global masses
Undermine conservative regimes

10. Syria Objectives more local than regional
(Greater Syria) Bilad al Sham
Hafez al-Assad, regional and international policies were tailored to Syria's own interests.

11. Iraq 1958 Monarchy overthrown, Abd al Karim Qasim, "Iraq first" policy
1963 Ba’th Party takes power
The failure of the United Arab Republic (Syria-Egypt) spreads disillusionment with Arab Nationalism

12. Arab Cold War
Malcolm Kerr sought “to dispel the notion of Arab politics as a projection of decisions made in Washington, London, Moscow, and Jerusalem.”
Arab cold war cemented alliances between the revolutionary republics\USSR and the Monarchies\ US

13. Republics vs Monarchs Revolutionary Republics Egypt, Iraq, Syria
Conservative Monarchies
Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Kingdoms

14. Suez Crisis 1951 Anglo Egyptian Treaty abrogated
‘Playing the Superpowers’
US withdraws financial support for Aswan Dam
Nationalization of the canal zone
1956 Tripartite Aggression, Britain, France, Israel
Objectives: Retake Suez and overthrow Nasser

15. Ending the Crisis
Diplomatic Pressure by US, USSR, UN forced withdrawal of UK, France
US blocked UK IMF loans and threatened Israel with sanctions
Saudi Arabia oil embargo on UK, France
Canal re-opened April 1957 after the last IDF troops left Egypt in March

16. 1) advanced weaponry
2) healthy, independent economy
3) ideology of transnational appeal
4) influence on the world stage.

17. North Yemen Civil War 1962 - 1970 September 1962, coupe in Sana
Military officers succeeded in overthrowing the Imamate, a dynastic institution of Zaydi religious rulers.
1962 – 1967 Egyptian Expeditionary Force 70,000 troops, extensive military costs
Increased Egyptian isolation from Republican partners

18. Republican victory
Egypt unable to fully commit to either Yemen or Israel in 1967, jeopardizing its role in the Six Day War

19. Six Day War 1967 Crushing defeat for the Arab coalition
Loss of Sinai Peninsula
Demonstrated the limits of Arab cooperation
Casualties
Israel 1000
Arab Coalition 20,000

20. October War 1973 Surprise attack by Egypt and Syria during Yom Kippur
Aggression ends in Arab defeat but demonstrates Israeli vulnerability

21. Camp David Agreement Recognition of Israel Formal Diplomatic Relations
Return of the Sinai to Egypt
Transfer of Authority in Gaza and West Bank
End of Israeli settlement

22. Termination of the Unification Cause
1967 Six Day War
1970 Death of Nasser
October War 173
Anwar al Sadat, Camp David Accords 1978

23. End of the Arab Cold War
Republics vs Monarchs, replaced by sectarian divisions
The failure of Pan Arabism leaves a void in the unity narrative
Islam resurges as a unifying political force

24. Assassination of al Sadat Mubarak’s Rise to Power The Return of Political Islam