GAMAL ABDEL NASSER
For instance, in a long editorial May 31
we learn:
"It is neither accidental nor il-
logical that many of the same Americans
who are calling for descalation and uncon-
ditional negotiations in Southeast Asia
also call for firmness on the part of the
United States in insisting on freedom of
passage to the Gulf of Aqaba and on honor-
ing American commitments to defend the
sovereignty and independence of Israel."
According to the Times, no genuine
commitments were ever made with respect
to South Vietnam; but in the Middle East
the situation is totally different. As it
views the historic record, every American
president since Truman has committed the
U.S. both legally and morally to a firm
stand in the Middle East. (The Times, of
course, does not ask if the American peo-
ple were consulted about this.)
Besides the legal and moral fac-
tors, American interests are involved.
"The Middle East is the crossroads of the
world, between Asia and Europe. It has
been a strategic goal of Russia since
Peter the Great."
Moreover, power politics must be
weighed:
GAMAL ABDEL NASSER