Nasser Pocketed CIA Bribe Money

In 1953, U.S. officials tried to pull Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser into the proposed Middle East Defense Organization, a Western-backed Cold War defense plan for the region. According to later accounts, the CIA reportedly offered Nasser a $3 million bribe to join the alliance and shift Egypt toward the American camp. Nasser accepted the money but refused to join, because he wanted Egypt and the Arab League, not a Western-backed bloc, to lead regional defense.

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