Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-PTH-02
In this interview Hart discusses dealing with Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser including shifts in U.S. aid in Egypt; how Nasser would play the United States and the Soviet Union against each other for Egypt’s benefit; Nasser’s ambitions for the neighboring countries and the Saudi reaction to Egypt’s actions in the Arabian Peninsula; the increased strain between Egypt and the United States; divisions in Washington over the U.S. policy towards Nasser; Nasser’s position on Israel; Saudi Arabia’s position on Israel and the Palestinian refugees in Saudi Arabia; the modernization process in Saudi Arabia; and changes in foreign policy over Hart’s tenure as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, among other issues.