Middle East 675
resignation and was friendlier with Iraq. In mid-April 1957, King Hussein staged a
military coup and arrested or exiled pro-Syrian and pro-Egyptian leaders within the
military.
A new dispute arose in April 1957 between Baghdad Pact countries and pro-Com-
munist countries over the future of Jordan, with pro-Western countries fearing that
the Soviet Union, Egypt, and Syria were preparing to split Jordan. After the military
coup, King Hussein usurped much more power. Iraq and Jordan were on friendlier
political and military terms, and in late April, Iraq issued a warning to Syria that if
it attempted to dismember Jordan, Iraq was ready to enact a “widespread military
operation.” Turkey moved troops to its border with Syria in an attempt to dissuade
Syria from attacking Jordan (April 27 to 29). Around this same time, US-led NATO
training operations took place off the coast of Turkey under the description “Opera-
tion Red Pivot.” NATO leaders denied that the name of this military simulation was
related to communist tensions in the Middle East. In August 1957, tensions between
Syria and the United States mounted, with both countries expelling the others’ diplo-
mats in mid-August. The Soviets started making stronger accusations that the United
States was behind Turkey’s troop concentrations along Syria’s border and warned
Turkey against taking any military action. The United States claimed it played no role
in encouraging an attack on Syria, but accusations continued from both Syria and the
Soviet Union that the United States was using Turkey as a means of invading Syria.
In October 1957, Syrian and Turkish forces engaged in a gun battle along the border,
and Syria continued to lodge complaints with the United Nations about Turkish troop
concentrations and aggressive action along their shared border (including airspace
violations).
Saudi Arabia offered to mediate the conflict resolution, and Turkey accepted. Syria
appeared to accept but later rejected the offer, saying that it only wanted the United
Nations to consider the problem and that only a withdrawal of Turkish troops would
end the crisis. In November 1957, Turkish troops began to withdraw from the Syrian
border, but the Syrian government threatened to reissue their complaint to the United
Nations if the withdrawal was not complete in a month. The Soviet Union also issued
a warning to Turkey that it was still “playing a dangerous game” if it continued to plot
to attack Syria. Less than six months later, another border clash was reported between
Turkish and Syrian forces.
Coding changes: End Date changed from November 19, 1957.
MID#3151
Dispute Number: 3151
Date(s): March 4, 1958
Participants: 663 Jordan/652 Syria
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Syria accused Jordan of shelling Syrian border guards.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from March 5, 1958. End Date changed from
March 5, 1958.