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During the Six Day War pitting Israel against its Arab neighbors in 1967, Americans were thrust into the crisis\u200a\u2014\u200aeven though they weren\u2019t directly involved in the fighting.<\/p>\n
After Israel pre-emptively attacked Egyptian forces on June 5, 1967, much of the Arab world came to Cairo\u2019s aid. Recently-declassified messages describe American fliers handling their own chaotic situations at bases in North Africa and the Middle East.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe situation at Wheelus characterized by uneasy calm,\u201d one cable reported on June 6, 1967, referring to the American air base just east of the Libyan capital Tripoli. \u201cEvacuation continues throughout other affected Mid-East areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
War Is Boring obtained the two cables through the Freedom of Information Act. Back in \u201967, the U.S. Air Force\u2019s main headquarters had sent the messages to every major Air Force command around the globe in an effort to keep commanders informed.<\/p>\n
Right up until Israel\u2019s lightning offensive, Washington had done its best to maintain good relations with both Tel Aviv and Arab countries. Successive American administrations had felt this policy of not favoring either side was essential to preventing the Soviet Union from expanding its sphere of influence.<\/p>\n
So strong was this belief, that Pres. Dwight Eisenhower effectively sided with Moscow after British, French and Israeli troops invaded Egypt in 1956. The three countries had banded together in secret to plan the mission after Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser seized control of the Suez Canal and threatened to close off the important gateway to Western powers.<\/p>\n
The incident complicated Washington\u2019s relations with governments throughout the region. Eisenhower and other American politicians refused to support the Anglo-French-Israeli operation and publicly rebuked the coalition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWashington indeed disliked Nasser, but it abhorred European colonialism even more,\u201d American-born historian Michael Oren wrote in his 2003 book\u00a0Six Days of War<\/em><\/a>. But Eisenhower ultimately made pledges in private with Israeli officials to help protect the Jewish state\u2019s security, as well.<\/p>\n