Word: nasser
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Egypt's Strongman Gamal Abdel Nasser last week defended his purchase of arms from the Communists, denied that he intends to start a war with Israel, and behaved like a man convinced that his spoon is long enough to sup with the devil...
...know they are saying that [Soviet Ambassador Daniil] Solod is the world's | greatest salesman," Nasser told TIME-LIFE
...Nobody Knows." But was he not opening the way to the Russians with his arms purchases? "There are not now any Russian or Czech technicians in Egypt," replied Nasser. "A long time before this, we sent some of our best men to Czecho slovakia for training. Some have already finished their training and are back here now, instructing other officers and men. We will do our own maintenance and training. Really, I will tell you: my men have been able to assemble some airplanes using only the handbooks for instruction...
That was the closest Nasser came to admitting that MIGs had already been delivered. He declined to talk about the tanks, heavy guns, bombers and submarines the Communists were reported sending him. "Everybody wants to know what was in the 133 boxes unloaded at Alexandria," he said, taking obvious satisfaction in the amount of attention the world has given him, "but nobody knows and nobody is going to know. For the first time in history, our army has secrets...
...Nature of Gratitude. Nasser insisted that the deal did not mean that Egypt had chosen to join the Reds against the West. "When you did not help us win our freedom," he said, "when you took the side of your allies Britain and France, we felt betrayed and disappointed in you . . . Now naturally, the people are going to feel sympathy and gratitude toward the Russians. But gratitude is not the same thing as Communist principles. Indeed, the greatest thing the arms deal has done is to give our people a feeling of pride in themselves and pride in their country...