70 years after Suez Crisis, US learns limits of power
The gist
Analysts mark the Suez Crisis anniversary by comparing it to the US-Israel war on Iran.
The parallel: military might can't shield a government from war's economic costs.
How it unfolded
- 1955An arms deal between Egypt and the Soviet Union upset the regional balance of power and contributed to Israel's decision to join a preventative war.
- Jul 1956Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Anglo-French company operating the Suez Canal.
- Nov 5, 1956British and French aircraft bombed Egyptian defenses as paratroopers dropped near Port Said; Israeli forces advanced across the Sinai Peninsula.
Key terms
- Suez Crisis
- A 1956 invasion of Egypt by Britain, France and Israel after Egypt seized control of the Suez Canal.
- nationalized
- The process of transferring privately owned assets into public ownership by a national government.
- Tory MPs
- A member of the UK House of Lords who belongs to the Conservative Party.
Source: Wikipedia