186. Editorial Note
On January 11, at the 309th meeting of the National Security Council, Allen Dulles, in his review of developments affecting U.S. security, presented a report on the reaction of Middle Eastern countries to the administration’s recent proposals and the Congressional Joint Resolution. The memorandum of discussion reads in part:
“The Director of Central Intelligence indicated that he would first discuss the reaction in Near Eastern countries to the Administration’s recent proposals with regard to our Middle Eastern policies and the Congressional Joint Resolution. According to our intelligence, the official reaction both in the Arab states and in Israel had thus far been reserved. The reaction of Syria and Jordan had been cool. The Soviets had advised the Egyptians that they too proposed to make an official statement on Soviet Middle Eastern policy within a few days. Nasser [Page 441] has ordered the Egyptian press to be discreet in its treatment of the President’s statement. Nasser apparently expects the forthcoming Soviet announcement to be in the nature of a Soviet counter-guaranty to protect all the Arab states, plus a massive aid program for these states. Syria is following in general the Egyptian line, whereas Lebanon and Iraq have indicated warm approval of the new policy. The Israeli press has been moderately critical of the new policy, on grounds that it left too many problems—such as the Suez Canal—unsolved.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)