Shifting Alliances in the Middle East during the Cold War

26min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Explore how key Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan navigated their alliances and relationships during the Cold War era. Delve into the power struggles, geopolitical dynamics, and shifting influences that shaped regional politics, including the role of superpowers like the United States and the Soviet Union. Learn about the complexities of balancing national interests and regional pressures in a tumultuous era of alliances and conflicts.

Featuring Abdel Razzaq Takriti, this is the SIXTH episode of Thawra (Revolution), our rolling mini-series on Arab radicalism in the 20th century. Today’s installment lays out the intensification of the Cold War across the Middle East. Western imperialist powers attempted to recruit Arab countries to the Baghdad Pact, a Middle Eastern NATO. Nasser rallied the Arab masses in opposition, becoming an anti-imperialist icon. In 1956, Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. In response, the British, French, and Israelis attacked Egypt. But Nasser and Arab anti-imperialism won the day. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Check out our newsletter and vast archives at thedigradio.com Buy What Was Neoliberalism at haymarketbooks.org Buy Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises, Vol. 1 at haymarketbooks.org