The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy

On January 5, 1957 Dwight Eisenhower had a meeting with Congress to discuss the problems that were going on in the Middle East (Yaqub 2003). He told Congress that there lies a danger on the Middle East of falling under control of the Russia and that the US had to do what it can to help them keep their independence (Yaqub 2003). Basically, Congress was asked to pass a “resolution authorizing him to pledge increased economic and military aid and even direct U.S. protection to any Middle Eastern nation willing to acknowledge the threat posed by international communism”(Yaqub 2003). Once the Eisenhower Doctrine was but into place the Suez War of late 1956 happened. This is where Israel, France, and Britain had “failed to reverse Egypt's nationalization of the Suez Canal Company” (Yaqub 2003). Britain had forfeited their status in the Middle East and Eisenhower was afraid that the Soviet Union could come in and take over unless the United States stepped in and did something (Yaqub 2003). They thought that one way that the Soviets could step in was by direct mi1ality action in a neighboring country like Turkey or Iran. The Soviets would try to develop closer political ties to Arab states (Yaquab 2003). Not only has the Eisenhower Doctrine written so we could protect the Middle East from being taken over by the Soviet Union it also “sought to contain the radical Arab nationalism of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nassar”(Yaqub, 2003).

This is where “Arab nations were entitled to enjoy profitable relation with both Cold War blocs”. Rather than the United States cooperating with Egypt they were going to try and “strengthen conservative Arab regimes like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Libya”. (Yaqub 2003) The United States wanted ...