NATO, the EU and the Curse of Suez
Author(s): Daniel Keohane
Journal Title: Carnegie Strategic Europe Blog
Publication Year: 2016
Almost exactly sixty years ago, France and the UK invaded an area along the Suez Canal. Egypt’s leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, had nationalized the canal a few months before, and for a variety of reasons London and Paris wanted to reverse this move. But the Franco-British military operation was halted within days, because the United States cut off emergency loans to the UK (France had to oblige because its troops were under British command).