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, eech of resignation because we We are reproducing extrects from Nasser's sp age oe ert
i iti ‘alists should know exactl e
inion that British socialis — ee cuavex axe used rather than rely upon the hysterical articles have appeared in most of the British press.
A ail f
. all know how the crisis began in the first half o rag ae ee a an enemy plan to invade Syrie, ——. by his politicians and all his military poumandanpe seers’ ear et The evidence was ample. The sources of cate Syren brothe reliable information were categorical on this. we.eIt was our duty not to accept this in silence. In ae being a question of Arab brotherhood it was also a matter o = pam security. Who starts with Syria will finish with Egypt. So fe) pee forces moved to our frontiers. Following this came the en mth United Nations force then the return of our forces to. the Sharm e el position which commands the Tiran Straits and which the Israeli —_ used as one of the results of the tripartite aggression on us in 1956. The passage of the enemy flag in front of our forces was intolerable and so were other matters connected with the most precious aspirations of the Arab nation. Our estimates of the enemy's strength were precise. They showed us that our armed forces had reached a level of equipment and training at which they were capable of deterring and repelling the enemy.... On the moming of last Monday, June 5, the enemy struck. If we say now it was a stronger blow than we had expected we must say at the same time, and with assurance, that it was much stronger than his resources allowed. It was clear from the very first there were other forces behind him which came to settle their accounts with the Arab Nationalist movement. There were significant surprises:ok The enemy we expected to come from the east and north came from the
west. This showed he had facilities beyond his own resources and
exceeding the estimate of his strength. 2. The enemy attacked at one go all the military and civil airfields in
the United Arab Republic. This meant he was relying on something
more than his normal strength to protect his skies from any retalia-
tion from us. The enemy was also fighting on other Arab fronts with
other assistance. 3. The evidence of imperialist collusion with the enemy is clear. It
sought to benefit from the lesson of the former open collusion of
1956, this time concealing itself cumningly, What is now established
is that American and British aircraft carriers were off the enemy's
shores, helping his war effort. Also, British aircraft raided in troad daylight positions on the Syrian and Egyptian fronts, in addition to operations by a number of American aircraft reconnoitring some of our positions. The inevitable result was
that our land forces, fighting a most violent and brave battle in the open desert found their air cover was inadequate in face of decisive superiority. It can be said without fear of exaggeration that the enemy was operating an air force three times its normal strength...... The nature of the desert did not permit a full defence, particularly with the enemy's air superiority. I realize that the development of the armed Battle may not be favourable to us. I tried with others to use all resources of Arab strength. Arab petroleum played its part. The Suez Canal played its part. And there is still a major role required of Arabs everywhere and I am fully confident they will be able to perform it...ee. We now reach an important point in this soul-searching by asking ourselves: Does this mean we do not assume responsibility for the consequences of this setback? I tell you truthfully that I am ready to assume the entire responsibility. I have taken a decision with which I want you all to help me. I have decided to give up completely and finally every official post and every political role and to return to the ranks of the public to do my duty with them like every other citizen. The forces of imperialism imagine that Abdel Nasser is their enemy. I want it to be clear to them that it is the entire Arab nation and not Gamal Abdei Nasser. The forces hostile to the Arab nationalist movement always try to picture it as Abdel Nasser's empire. That is not true, for the hope for Arab unity began before Gamal Abdel Nasser. It will remain after Gamal Abdel Nasser. I have always told you that it is the nation which survives. Whatever his (Nasser's) contribution to the causes of his homeland, he is but an expression of a popular will and is not the creator of that will...... The Revolution is not the monopoly of one generation of revolutionaries. I am proud of the contribution by this generation of revolutionaries. It has brought about the evacuation of British imperialism and the independence of Egypt. It has defined its (Egypt's) Arab character, fought the policy of zones of influence in the Arab world, led the socialist revolution and brought about a profound change in the Arab way of life. It has affirmed the people's control of their resources and the product of their national action. It recovered the Suez Canal and laid down the basis of industrial build-up in Egypt, built the high dam to turn an arid desert green. It has extended generating power networks all over the northern Nile valley and extracted petroleum resources after a long wait. More important than all this, it has placed the workers in the leadership of political action. They are always the source for new leadership carrying the banner of the patriotic and nationalist struggle phase after phase, building up socialism and winning victories."