Guest MINDSETTER ™ Berwick: Nixon’s and Obama’s Middle East Peace Strategies

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Guest MINDSETTER ™ Ken Berwick

President Obama’s strategy to bring peace to the Middle East has allowed Russia to regain its political and military influence in the Middle East after a 40 year absence. The United States has lost its position as the world’s premier power broker in the Middle East.

After the October 6—25 1973 Yom Kippur War, President Nixon’s strategy to bring peace to the Middle East provided the incentive for Egypt to ask the Soviet Union to withdraw its forces from the Middle East. During this war, the Soviet Union had provided Egypt, Syria and many other members of the Arab Coalition waging this war against Israel with thousands of tons of military equipment and supplies.

When it appeared that Israel was in danger of losing this war, Nixon ordered a massive 20,000 ton airlift of American arms and equipment sent to Israel that helped Israel win the 1973 YOM KIPPUR WAR. Nixon then reestablished formal relations between the United States and Egypt in April of 1974 and negotiated the disengagement of forces between Israel, Egypt and Syria on May 31 of 1974. Next, President Nixon launched new Middle East peace talks in June of 1974 when he became the first American president to visit Israel, Syria, Egypt, and other members of the Arab Coalition in June of 1974.

During his visit to Egypt, Nixon and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat traveled by rail from Cairo to Alexandria. Over three million Egyptians gathered at the many stations along the way to cheer Nixon and display signs that read, “God Bless Nixon”. At the conclusion of the trip, Nixon and Sadat created and signed the “Principles of Relations and Cooperation between Egypt and the United States”. The signing of this document led to the Camp David Peace Accords under the leadership of President Jimmy Carter.

Kenneth Berwick Served three years in the United States Marine Corps from 1954-1957. Berwick is a retired teacher with a BA from RIC in 1960 and a Masters from Syracuse in 1969.