Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Near East Region; Iran; Iraq, Volume XII

140. Memorandum From the Director of the Executive Secretariat (Howe) to the Acting Secretary of State¹

Washington, November 14, 1956

US POLICY IN THE ARAB WORLD

I enclose, first, Doug MacArthur’s memorandum of his conversation this morning with the President² which deals exclusively with this subject. A copy has gone to Macomber for the Secretary only.

You will note that in this memorandum he³ suggests:

(a) A clear articulation of our Middle East policy which can be used in a number of ways with the Arab countries.

(b) He refers to the earlier conversation he had with Mr. MacArthur and to one which he had with you (memoranda of which are also enclosed)⁴ in which he feels that there is an urgent need for a new program of economic and cultural measures of considerable proportions.

I recommend, and Mr. MacArthur fully concurs, that, in light of the extremely heavy load of NEA “putting out fires”, Bob Bowie can be given action responsibility on this matter. It is our view that (a) is sufficiently dependent upon (b) to require handling (a) first. Mr. Bowie’s responsibility in this matter would be to proceed on a top priority basis in coordination with NEA, G, C, E and U/MSA, to fulfill at the earliest moment the requirement of the President.⁵

[Here follow Howe’s recommendations concerning the distribution of the attached memoranda.]

1. Source: Department of State, S/P Files: Lot 66 D 487, Near & Middle East. Secret.
2. Supra.
3. Howe is apparently referring to the President.
4. Attached to the source text is a copy of MacArthur’s November 13 memorandum to Hoover; see footnote 2, supra. Also attached is a memorandum for the record by Howe, November 14, entitled: “Economic Assistance for the Arab World”. Howe’s memorandum refers to the President’s conversation with Hoover (see footnote 2, supra) and continues: “The President quite clearly visualizes a sizable, strong, thoroughly worked out program involving a number of countries, carefully selected, and the program as a whole designed as a major force to combat the threat of communism and Russian influence in the area and to assure the maintenance of the Arab countries in the Free World.”
5. Hoover initialed his approval of the recommendation. A marginal notation on the source text, in an unidentified hand, reads: “Hoover also wishes consideration of the problem of the apparent tie up of Sov divisions in EE (60 divs) & whether this fact with implication of Soviet bluff, could not be exploited in Arab countries.”