In Search of Identity: An Autobiography
Abstract
I recall one starry evening well over a year before the October War, when I reflected on the conditions facing my people. We were a poor country, but worse, we were very demoralized. I gazed to the northeast for both the cause and the possible cure. There lay Israel, the state we had long vowed to drive into the sea. She, however, was the proud victor: as a culmination of her wars against us, she now stood upon our lands in the Sinai. Her occupation cost us economically; it was an obvious security threat; and every day it provided a taunting affront to our national pride. The Israelis believed territory provided safety and they were unwilling to enter meaningful negotiations. Neither our Arab brothers nor the world at large provided real support to us. My thoughts turned to the Soviets, who had become an unreliable ally. Looking into the night sky, I decided that despite everything, now was the time for my nation to reach for a new destiny. Israeli military successes had created a false picture. Contrary to popular conception, they were not invincible and we were not inept. I had to win back honor and prestige for my people--not only in Egypt but throughout the Arab world. It would be necessary to inflict losses on Israel. The myth that they were unbeatable had grown, but I knew the reality: Israel is a small country, little able to suffer a significant loss of soldiers, property, and equipment. I needed to affect the psyche of the Israelis to make then understand that territory alone provides no real security.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 18, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA440784
Entities
People
- Amb Newton
- Jack L. Rives
Organizations
- National War College