The Arab Nationalists Movement 1951-1971: From Pressure Group to Socialist Party (ص 93)

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Title

The Arab Nationalists Movement 1951-1971: From Pressure Group to Socialist Party (ص 93)

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86
Following the lead of the U.A.R., the Arab
Nationalists entered fully in the dispute between the pro-
West government of President Sham'un and the pro-U.A.R.
politicians who feared the reelection of Sham'un. In the
ensuing civil war the Arab Nationalists singled out them-
Seleves as a well-disciplined and organized group. Their
organizations in the poor quarters of Beirut, Sidon and
the port of Tripoli played an increasingly important role
in the civil war as the battles against the government
forces dragged on through the summer of 1958.
It was most unfortunate for the ANM to place their
forces under the leadership of the traditional politicians,
who were themselves part of the old establishment, for these
politicians were inclined to accept a compromise, which they
did, with the other faction of the establishment. Indeed the
formula "no victor, no vanquished" reached by the major
contenders in the civil war settled a "family affair" between
the traditional leaders to the dissatisfaction of the ANM and
its followers. It is believed that if it were not for the
U.A.R., the Arab Nationalists would not have followed the
lead of the traditional Lebanese politicians. Indeed the
latter used them to settle their disputes with each other in
the same way they used their own followers. Again, could the
ANM have done otherwise? It is rather difficult to answer in
the affirmative, for on the one hand, the Arab Nationalists
were trained, equipped and supported by the U.A.R., and on
the other hand, their followers were fighting for Nasser and

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The Arab Nationalists Movement 1951-1971: From Pressure Group to Socialist Party

Date

1971-02-07

Creator

Basil R. Al-Kubaisi

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