Category: Egypt

Egypt

Nasser’s Peace Reviewed in the Times of Israel

Michael Sharnoff

Published in The Times of Israel by Sheldon Kirshner, a Toronto-based journalist.

Egypt’s crushing defeat at the hands of Israel in the Six Day War created a crisis of confidence in the Egyptian government. Bouncing back from the depths of despair, President Gamal Abdel Nasser reacted to Israel’s victory by political and military means.

In Nasser’s Peace: Egypt’s Response to the 1967 War With Israel (Transaction Publishers), Michael Sharnoff, drawing on recently declassified primary sources, expertly examines his policies before and after that seminal conflict.

Read the full interview in the Times of Israel.

Check out what other readers are saying here!

Arab Nationalism, Egypt

A Humiliated Arab World Turns to Islamism

Michael Sharnoff

Published in the Jewish Chronicle.

During the 1950s and 60s, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser guided and shaped Arab public opinion.

Nasser emerged as the undisputed leader of the Arab world by championing pan-Arabism — a secular ideology that advocated Arab unity and freedom from Western influence. It also championed the liberation of Palestine, a euphemism for the creation of a Palestinian Arab state on the ruins of Israel.

Continue reading “A Humiliated Arab World Turns to Islamism” →

Egypt

Nasser’s Legacy on the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 War

Michael Sharnoff
Nasser and Egyptian pilots pre-1967, via Wikimedia Commons

Published in BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 472.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser once shaped and guided Arab public opinion. Cairo was the capital of the Middle East, and Nasser’s secular pan-Arab ideology challenged the West, Israel, and other Arab states. Nasser’s Egypt showed how a developing country with a large population could persevere despite tremendous economic, political, and military challenges. As the 50th anniversary of the 1967 War approaches, Egyptians and Arabs of that generation might reflect with nostalgia on a bygone era when Cairo dominated the Middle East. 

Continue reading “Nasser’s Legacy on the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 War” →

Egypt

Nasser’s Peace Event Video

Michael Sharnoff

Thank you to everyone who attended the talk on my new and timely book, Nasser’s Peace: Egypt’s Response to the 1967 War with Israel. Hosted by the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security, the evening included an intimate Q&A discussion on the analysis of the book, and lessons learned for the contemporary period.

Watch the clip here:

Order your copy of Nasser’s Peace on Amazon and Routledge.

Egypt, Israel, Uncategorized

Nasser’s Peace: Egypt’s Response to the 1967 War with Israel

Michael Sharnoff

NassersPeaceI am thrilled to announce the release of my first book, Nasser’s Peace: Egypt’s Response to the 1967 War with Israel.

Gamal Abdel Nasser was arguably one of the most influential Arab leaders in history. As President of Egypt from 1956 to 1970, he could have achieved a peace agreement with Israel, yet he preferred to maintain his unique leadership role by affirming pan-Arab nationalism and championing the liberation of Palestine, a common euphemism for the destruction of Israel.

In that era of Cold War politics, Nasser brilliantly played Moscow, Washington, and the United Nations to maximize his bargaining position and sustain his rule without compromising his core beliefs of Arab unity and solidarity. As the 50th anniversary of the 1967 War approaches, Nasser’s Peace provides timely analysis of how a developing country can rival world powers and how fluid the definition of “peace” can be.

Nasser’s Peace is available on Amazon.

 

Egypt

Egyptian Attitudes Toward the Yemen War

Michael Sharnoff

egy yemPublished in Your Middle East.

On March 25, Saudi Arabia led a pan-Arab military campaign in Yemen known as “Decisive Storm” to expel the Iranian-backed Houthis, who seized control of the country in January after deposing President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

While much has been said about Sunni-Shia sectarianism, the conflict should really be viewed as a struggle for regional influence between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The proxy war in Yemen is also about whether Yemen is part of the pro-Western Sunni Arab alliance that includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, or if it’s part of the anti-Western Shia alliance led by Iran and its allies, Hezbollah and Syria. Continue reading “Egyptian Attitudes Toward the Yemen War” →

Egypt, Jordan

White House Needs to Support Egypt and Jordan With a Consistent Anti-Terrorism Strategy

Michael Sharnoff

proxyPublished in the Huffington Post.

Supporting Jordan’s counterterrorism strategy and not Egypt’s is short-sighted and counterproductive in the long-term struggle to defeat ISIS.

Egypt and Jordan, both of whom are close U.S. allies, are on the front lines in a global war against terrorism. Jordan supported the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition after the Sept. 2014 NATO summit in Wales. Initially, the kingdom’s role was primarily intelligence and logistical cooperation with coalition forces, as Jordan historically prefers avoiding direct military confrontation with its neighbors. In Nov. 2011 King Abdullah became the first Arab leader to call for President Bashar Assad to step down but did not advocate direct Jordanian military intervention. Continue reading “White House Needs to Support Egypt and Jordan With a Consistent Anti-Terrorism Strategy” →

Egypt

Weekend Thinking: Copts & Egyptian-American Ties

Michael Sharnoff

While the Obama Administration is busy figuring out the best course of action in response to Egyptian President Morsi’s ambivalence towards Tuesday’s Embassy attack, Eric Trager and David Schenker offer policy recommendations in the New York Daily News. Continue reading “Weekend Thinking: Copts & Egyptian-American Ties” →