ABSTRACT
The case of Egypt in the League of Arab States during the tenure of President Gamal Abdel-Nasser clearly shows the validity of those leaders’ assertions. Inter-Arab rivalries were skilfully manipulated and exploited by Gamal Abdel-Nasser. For example, until 1956, the Arab League was an arena of balance of power politics due to Arab rivalries. There are similarities and differences between the role of Egypt in the Arab League and the role of the USA in the Organization of American States. Like Egypt, the USA is the major member in the regional machinery. On balance, although there are similarities between the use of regional organizations by Egypt and the USA, the differences are greater. The location of the League’s headquarters in Cairo gave Egypt considerable leverage in the League’s policies. For example, during and after the Shtoura meeting Egypt threatened to break up that organization mainly because it was largely located in the Egyptian capital.
