Critical Triangle continues....

However, when the Egyptians rejected the MEDO proposal, (it had a British commander heading an organisation comprised overwhelmingly of non-British independent troops ) the whole idea collapsed.However, a new strategy was taking shape at this time. Sir Olaf Caroe had proposed a new way of defending the Middle East. Using the Northern Flank to prevent a Soviet breakout, this plan was based on bolstering Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan. But again it was the fear of alienating India and Afghanistan that prevented the Truman Administration from going any further down this route, especially after the Turks had expressed similar concerns, and the French had pointed out that Pakistan was further from the Middle East than was Greece. But the Eisenhower administration was to change all that.

EISENHOWER TO CARTER

John Foster Dulles was Eisenhower’s Secretary of State. A deeply religious man, the extent of his knowledge of both the subcontinent, and the haziness of the Northern Flank strategy can be gauged by this telling conversation he had with journalist Walter Lippmann.

Dulles “Look Walter, I’ve got to get some real fighting men into the south of Asia. The only Asians who can really fight are the Pakistanis.... We could never get along without the Ghurkhas.”

Lippmann “But Foster, Ghurkhas aren’t Pakistanis. They’re Indians.”

Dulles “Well, they may not be Pakistanis but they're
Moslems.”

Lippmann “No, I’m afraid they’re not Moslems, either;
they’re Hindus.”

Dulles “No Matter.”

Ayub Khan had, basically reflecting Dulles own black and white view of the world, played to the gallery during Dulles’ visit to Pakistan in May 1953. He had recast the great game between Russia and Britain with Pakistan acting as the only real buffer between the Soviets and the warm waters of the Arabian Sea, and the solution that Ayub had proposed fitted in neatly with Caroe’s Northern Flank thesis. This was to strengthen the Pakistan army to the point that it would be able to take on the Soviet Army. The minor fact that Afghanistan stood in the way evidently did not enter Dulles’ thoughts.

To be continued......