Indirect Aggression

Report Outline
Indirect Aggression and the Middle East
Soviet Infiltration of the Middle East
Leading Cases of Indirect Aggression
Efforts to Cope with Indirect Aggression

Indirect Aggression and the Middle East

President's Plan as Curb on Indirect Aggression

When president eisenhower asked Congress to authorize him to use military force and economic aid to combat Communist aggression in the Middle East, he made it clear that he was seeking to meet the threat not only of direct but also of indirect aggression. Because an overt attack by the Soviet Union was generally considered unlikely. Red infiltration and subversion seemed in fact to present the most immediate danger. No one needed to be reminded, moreover, that aggression in that form could be as effective as armed assault or invasion in destroying the independence of its victim.

The joint resolution to carry out the Eisenhower proposals was adopted by the House of Representatives with little change on Jan. 30 and is now before the Senate. Both in its original form and as amended by the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, the legislation contemplates employment of the armed forces of the United States only to repel direct aggression. However, the President said when he made his request of Congress on Jan. 5:

Experience shows that indirect aggression rarely if ever succeeds where there is reasonable security against direct aggression; where the government possesses loyal security forces; and where economic conditions are such as not to make Communism seem an attractive alternative. The program I suggest deals with all three, aspects of this matter and thus with the problem of Indirect aggression.