1956 Nationalizing the Suez Canal

Nasser had staked a lot of his prestige on his promise to his people that he would see the Aswan Dam built. The fabulous expense of the project required international assistance. Eisenhower and the Americans had been dangling the cheese of financial assistance before Nasser, and the Soviet Union was also in the bidding, but everyone bailed out and left Nasser holding the bag. However, Nasser still had a card to play.

_ _ _

On Thursday, July, 26, 1956, Gamal Abdel Nasser delivered an emotional, three-hour anti-American speech to a cheering crowd in Alexandria. Near the end, Nasser announced what no American government official had anticipated - a presidential decree nationalizing the Suez Canal Company. He planned to use the proceeds from the operation of the canal to fund the Aswan Dam project. “The money is ours and the Suez Canal belongs to us,” the Egyptian leader declared. “The Suez Canal was built by Egyptians and 120,000 Egyptians died building it. Thus we shall build the High Dam our own way.”

-- David A. Nichols, “Eisenhower 1956”

1956 Nationalizing the Suez Canal

Nasser had staked a lot of his prestige on his promise to his people that he would see the Aswan Dam built. The fabulous expense of the project required international assistance. Eisenhower and the Americans had been dangling the cheese of financial assistance before Nasser, and the Soviet Union was also in the bidding, but everyone bailed out and left Nasser holding the bag. However, Nasser still had a card to play.

_ _ _

On Thursday, July, 26, 1956, Gamal Abdel Nasser delivered an emotional, three-hour anti-American speech to a cheering crowd in Alexandria. Near the end, Nasser announced what no American government official had anticipated - a presidential decree nationalizing the Suez Canal Company. He planned to use the proceeds from the operation of the canal to fund the Aswan Dam project. “The money is ours and the Suez Canal belongs to us,” the Egyptian leader declared. “The Suez Canal was built by Egyptians and 120,000 Egyptians died building it. Thus we shall build the High Dam our own way.”

-- David A. Nichols, “Eisenhower 1956”

Cutting Through Republican Smoke-Screens

Came across a couple of good pieces that counter some of the more familiar conservative smoke-screens, such as how they obfuscate issues of income inequality and climate change, and there is one about New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg in particular, but which deals incisively about how conservatives seek to switch the targets for our opprobrium and correection, from the banks to Congress, breaking down the housing and financial issues in a good quick read. I'll provide a taste and the links.

( Read more... )

Cutting Through Republican Smoke-Screens

Came across a couple of good pieces that counter some of the more familiar conservative smoke-screens, such as how they obfuscate issues of income inequality and climate change, and there is one about New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg in particular, but which deals incisively about how conservatives seek to switch the targets for our opprobrium and correection, from the banks to Congress, breaking down the housing and financial issues in a good quick read. I'll provide a taste and the links.

( Read more... )

Thank God for the Internet

Contrary to “historical data” and “expert opinions” this is, in fact, why the internet was created.

-- Anonymous

Thank God for the Internet

Contrary to “historical data” and “expert opinions” this is, in fact, why the internet was created.

-- Anonymous