Word: nasserism
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...world is accustomed to Nasser's words outrunning his intentions, and he did add a promise to "think ten times" before plunging Egypt into all-out war with Israel. He might consider thinking even one or two times more. Egypt lacks the equipment to cross the canal in force, and the best that it could hope would be to damage Israeli bases with its 20 Russian-supplied tactical missiles, which have a range of 45 miles. But, as 1967 proved, the option to attack is not Nasser's alone. There would be no quicker way to draw wrath...
Intensified Scare. In the deadly Middle East pattern of blow and counterblow, Nasser's threat was made in response to an Israeli raid into Egypt -which in turn was in retaliation for continued Egyptian shelling along the Suez Canal. As the barrages continued into their fifth week, Israel counted ten more dead...
...past, Israel has tried to dampen Arab belligerence by punitive raids. Now, any heavy retaliation would only play into Nasser's hands by intensifying a war scare that Israel wants to play down. Accordingly, Israel struck back in a manner obviously intended to impress the Egyptians with a display of its capability, without exacerbating big-power fears of a new war. Tel Aviv announced that its commandos had penetrated deep into Egypt, cutting a power line and damaging a bridge and the Nag Hammadi dam 270 miles south of Cairo...
...from having the intended effect, the Israeli account of the raid was hotly disputed by Egypt, which claimed that "there were no losses at all." Moreover, it is questionable whether even an entirely successful raid would have deterred Nasser. He has publicly written off Egypt's oil refineries and installations along the Suez, which have been heavily damaged by Israeli artillery, and has ordered the evacuation of Port Said. He also promised last week that the shelling would go on until Israel's fortifications along the canal are destroyed...
Search for a Policy. If Nasser is undeterred, the threat of Israeli might has had more effect on Lebanon, which has tried to prevent fedayeen guerrillas from raiding Israel across its border. Two weeks ago, the Lebanese government resigned amid widespread rioting that followed a clash between security forces and a group of fedayeen. Last week Lebanese politicians were still trying to put together a new government. They were also seeking a policy that would mollify the guerrillas without bringing on Israel's wrath-particularly since Charles de Gaulle's pledge to protect Lebanon from an Israeli invasion...