ABSTRACT
US policy toward the Baghdad Pact (BP) demonstrated the perils of ambiguity. With the formation of the BP, the United States established a liaison aimed at coordinating plans and channeling aid. With the formation of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United States considered establishing a regional defense organization in the Middle East, but all the available options seemed premature or irrelevant. Following the Turco-Iraqi statement, the United States attempted to advance a two-pronged policy: supporting the build-up of a realistic defense organization, including Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran and advancing an Arab-Israeli settlement through Operation Alpha. The military establishment thought US adherence would augment the pact, enhance the US position in the Middle East, and strengthen its security. The greatest mistake of the United States was its failure to comprehend Arab psychology in the postcolonial era and the depth of Arab rivalries.
