The Syrian Crisis of 1957: A Lesson for the 21st Century

In 2013, CPD published a piece in the CPD Perspectives series entitled, "The Syrian Crisis of 1957: A Lesson for the 21st Century," in which Kevin Brown reviews foreign policy toward Syria during Dwight Eisenhower's presidency. He describes President Eisenhower's foreign policy toward Syria, influenced by the recommendations and fears of the Dulles Brothers, as one of shortsightedness and diplomacy gone wrong. The paper details the United States' role in orchestrating a coup in 1957 intended to overthrow the leader of Syria. Such clandestine tactics were not unusual during this era, as the United States government attempted to 'contain' the threat that was Communism.

While this paper focuses only on the events of 1957, it is clear their outcomes had far reaching implications for U.S. relations with the Middle East today. For anyone wondering about the roots of tensions between the two, this publication provides excellent insight.

Photo by Wikipedia/CC by-SA