Could the US and Egypt have rapproched on terms acceptable to both in the 1950s or 1960s instead of the 1970s-
This countterfactual was inspired by an e-mail dialogue I had with unconventional pundit and author Michael Lind-
My words-
"Though you don't seem in your
writing to be much of a fan of our Saudi and Israeli
allies today, I think one would have to admit that
both served an important function during the Cold War
blunting Soviet geopolitical momentum, especially
during the years of American retrenchment in the
1970s. Both were useful mechanisms of propping up the
US arms industry at a time of shrunken military
budgets, and Israel's role as anti-Soviet bastion
probably kept more northeastern liberals more hawkish
than they otherwise would have been. Just a thought,
and of course in changed circumstances, the
appropriate US policies may change."
His words:
"I think that Egypt's defection from the Soviet bloc was a major
gain for us and might have occurred sooner, but for the tilt toward Israel
that the U.S. took following Eisenhower."
Is Lind right? Did Kennedy and Johnson squander a real opportunity entice Egypt from the Soviet to American orbit?
This countterfactual was inspired by an e-mail dialogue I had with unconventional pundit and author Michael Lind-
My words-
"Though you don't seem in your
writing to be much of a fan of our Saudi and Israeli
allies today, I think one would have to admit that
both served an important function during the Cold War
blunting Soviet geopolitical momentum, especially
during the years of American retrenchment in the
1970s. Both were useful mechanisms of propping up the
US arms industry at a time of shrunken military
budgets, and Israel's role as anti-Soviet bastion
probably kept more northeastern liberals more hawkish
than they otherwise would have been. Just a thought,
and of course in changed circumstances, the
appropriate US policies may change."
His words:
"I think that Egypt's defection from the Soviet bloc was a major
gain for us and might have occurred sooner, but for the tilt toward Israel
that the U.S. took following Eisenhower."
Is Lind right? Did Kennedy and Johnson squander a real opportunity entice Egypt from the Soviet to American orbit?