The resentment of Russian, England and the West towards the lands in the Mediterranean drives us back to the geopolitical events in the important cities and landmarks in the middle east. The book of Alex Von Tunzelmann who is influenced by the teachings and philosophies of Oxford academics wrote not only the book “Blood and Sand” but previously Alex Von Tunzelmann also wrote the book “Indian Summer”, “Red Heat”, & “Reel History”. His expertise in geopolitics and economics gives me a more imaginative reading while reading “Blood & Sand”. The book focal thesis covers the politics and engineering covering the evolution of the famous Suez Canal. Likewise, in the history of the Suez Canal Egypt plays a big role in the making and evolution of the famous trade route of the Suez Canal granting the fact that Egypt is in the adjacent land across the Suez Canal. Across the Suez Canal from Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula is also a big land area where the conflict of nations will curse Egypt in terms of its commerce and diplomacy.
With the enormous trading from east to west of the huge region of the world, the hunger for more trade and business triggers the many aristocrats in England and the West to conquer and explore the world in the Middle East and Asia. The potentiality of cutting the commercial trip from Europe to Asia via Suez Canal will save a lot of cost relative to time and energy incurred during the whole transit process of goods in each commodity. Instead of using the route via Africa, using the Suez Canal will shorten the trip and practically gain more margin of profit in any form of business logistical process. Thus, during the reign of Gamal Abdel Nasser Egypt has the potential to achieve the economic benefits of the Suez Canal granting that the adjacent land of Suez Canal facing from the Sinai Peninsula is mainland Egypt. Indeed, Gamal Abdel Nasser is so eager and positive to turn the Suez Canal an economic path of the East allowing business goods to travel from the East to the West side of the World. Note that during the time before and during the plans of construction of the Suez Canal, Egypt is still known to its Agricultural products like Cotton and other farming commodities that sustain the small businesses and the national economy of Egypt.
Suez Canal Crisis
But later in the history of Egypt, the land of Pharaohs and Gold became disturbed in terms of political diplomacy and governance. The people of Egypt were divided in terms of their political beliefs in relation to their national governance connected to their International business affairs granting the fact that the Suez Canal is a lucrative trade Zone for any country of the world who wants to trade in huge volume across the continents of the world. On the contrary, the Central Intelligence Agency of America is also in Egypt under the program of the United Nations Disarmament Commission. Nasser could have been the sort of Arab leader favored by the West. He was pro-American, therefore he has the power to connect Egypt’s international affairs to the international conglomerates that can operate the highly engineering construction of the Suez Canal. As such, an aristocrat from France by the name of Ferdinand-Marie de Lesseps developed the most ambitious engineering of the age, the Suez Canal. From ancient times, the rulers of east and west had dreamed of cutting a canal through the Sinai Peninsula.
But the big challenge for both countries is their diplomatic relationship between Israel and Egypt. The negotiating power of the US will allow its business negotiation advantage were in the diplomatic policies between the two countries are not that stable and sacred in both parties. Thus, to create the trade route needs a third party or more to regulate the tension between Israel and Egypt. The battle in Gaza made the conflict of the Egyptian government towards Israel. On the contrary, the good relationship of the Egypt government and the West is being strained by the geopolitical problem in Gaza. Nasser wanted to acquire more military armaments from the US to defend their geopolitical motives and advancement in the region of the Suez Canal. The conflict near the Sanai Peninsula to what is commonly seen in the daily news this time is the conflict in Gaza where the involvement of US as the long-time ally of Israel will conflict to the motives of Nasser towards acquiring military armaments from the US. US government, on the other hand, is reluctant to give the military advance facilities to Egypt knowing that Egypt will have a long conflicting disagreement with Israel.
Furthermore, during that time when Nasser wants to buy more military equipment’s from US that is also the time when Dwight Eisenhower is running for reelection and major contributors for election funding in the US are the Jewish capitalist. As such, there is a slim chance that Eisenhower will agree to the demand of Nasser to buy more military equipment. Thus, Nasser instead bought tanks and other military hardware from the country allied to the Soviet Union. The country Czechoslovakia made the arms deal with Egypt and granting the request of Nasser to stabilize their national military in Egypt. Instead of stabilizing the good diplomatic relations with the West and Britain Egypt is starting to create more diplomatic moves to put Egypt in the brink of war. On the contrary, US cannot go to war with Egypt instead Britain and France started the military engagement with Egypt. Nasser diplomatic moves put Egypt during that time in place were Egypt is tagged as the new Hitler Germany. Nasser’s diplomatic attitude of letting his countrymen believe that they are moving towards patriotism and national unity made the people of Egypt think that they are doing the right thing but on the contrary, Nasser is supporting the Soviet Ideology and during that time the conflict in Europe in terms of the Cold War is still fresh. Jerusalem, on the contrary, has a bigger ambition towards the Suez Canal.
Conflicts with Algeria and the surrounding area of the Suez Canal made the military strength of Egypt weaker. Until today Egypt dominance in the world power compared to the golden years of Egypt was never revived. The disunity of Egypt made their economy fall like desert sand. Their agriculture products did not prosper in terms of trading with other countries due to the economic focus of Nasser towards his national building of the Suez Canal. On a parallel view in terms of the world events and geopolitical conflicts at present in the Pacific and Crimea as well, will connect the insecurity of Nasser in his nation-building and diplomacy with the West. Instead of Nasser’s good relationship with the West and other allied forces his eagerness to make Egypt powerful in terms of world economy made his downfall. His connection with Soviet-made Egypt disconnected to other great economies of the world. National divide in terms of Egypt’s inner political division made the downfall of Nasser. On the contrary Soviet doesn’t care of Egypt will win against his war in the Suez Canal region or not. What Soviet is after is the secret deals made by Nasser towards Russia. The history revealed the fall of Egypt at that time. Instead of owning the Suez Canal’s profit granting the fact that Egypt under Nasser implemented the nationalization of the Suez Canal. As such, is there a possibility that the case of the Pacific conflict at this time will repeat the history of the fall of Egypt during the time of Nasser?
Lady Presidents Can Play and Dance the Funky Cha-Cha Too...
If you can compare the moves of Soviet and the moves of China towards the smaller countries surrounding the Pacific including the Philippines it will show that the diplomatic conflict in Egypt will be repeated in the Pacific. In the case of the Suez Canal, the government of Egypt did not gain more national wealth in according to the dreams of Nasser but instead his eagerness to gain more national wealth allow his diplomatic alliance towards the soviet. His desperation of building the mega-engineering project lead to the fall of his nation. The new book by Peter Frankopan (The New Silk Road) will prove that China is baiting the smaller countries in the Pacific region in order to get the route from the Arab Oil World towards China. The First Island Chain going to the Second Island Chain is the long dream of Admiral Liu in China. Thus, in the case of the Pacific, these two routes will lead to the new mega wealth of China by kicking aside the rights of the smaller countries in the Pacific. These smaller countries in the Pacific needs to know how to play the political “Cha-Cha” with China and the West to be able to survive in terms of the diplomatic dominance affecting the national economy. The sad thing with Nasser is that instead of bringing his country into wealth and a good life for his people, Nasser himself lead his nation to a great political divide and driving away the foreign British diplomats’ home. Nasser’s show of political force made him weak.
In terms of world politics and diplomacy, it is better to have allies than foes. Because of Nasser’s eagerness to achieve national wealth, he mistakenly allies himself with Czechoslovakia that he did not consider the long-run effect of his sweet political connection with the communist Soviet. The new book by Peter Frankopan will show the new Silk Road which is the Pacific connecting the geopolitical conflict in Crimea. The New Silk road will challenge the economic and political phenomenon in the Pacific. The resent and future of the world lies in the progress in the Pacific. Thus, China is in a double time of getting the political dominance in the region of the Pacific. Just like the Suez Canal the British and the West finally dominated the Suez Canal giving Egypt fewer rights in the International territory of the Suez Canal. Who would you think to be the next Gamal Abdel Nasser in the Pacific who sold his diplomatic loyalty to the Soviet and leave the lucrative democratic future of his countrymen of Egypt? Nasser can play political Cha-Cha but on the wrong side. On another thought, dancing the Cha-Cha-Cha is a soviet inclination knowing that the history of Cha-cha-cha came from Cuba known as the mad dog of US giving the fact that Cuba is at the back of US. A small country that gives great concern to the national security of US. Would you think that the Philippines is the next Cuba? But what kind of Cuba? Cuba ally to China or a good Cuba ally to the United States? Well, it is up to the choice of the country or should I say it is how to play your Funky Political Cha-cha-cha….
“order without freedom, even if sustained by momentary
exaltation, eventually creates its own counterpoise; yet freedom cannot be
secured or sustained without a framework of order to keep the peace.”
― Henry Kissinger, World Order
“We live in a wondrous time, in which the strong is weak
because of his scruples and the weak grows strong because of his audacity.”
― Henry Kissinger, World Order
“Order always requires a subtle balance of restraint, force,
and legitimacy.”
― Henry Kissinger, World Order
Brandon Ridenour:
Bonus Track:
ALISON BALSOM - Sound the Trumpet (Royal Music of Purcell
& Handel)
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