MIDDLE EAST FROM GOD, OR NASSER IT IS NEVER FUN TO BREAK 
UP A VACATION AND RUSH HOME TO DEAL WITH SOME PROBLEM 
AT THE OFFICE . FOR EGYPT'S GAMAL ABDEL NASSER, IT WAS 
ESPECIALLY PROVOKING, FOR HE WAS ENJOYING SOME OF THE WORLD'S LOVELIEST 
SCENERY AT MARSHAL TITO'S VILLA ON THE YUGOSLAV ISLAND OF BRIONI 
. BUT THE CABLES FROM CAIRO CARRIED WORD THAT NASSER'S ARAB 
UNITY SCHEME WAS IN A STATE OF COLLAPSE . RELUCTANTLY, EGYPT'S 
LEADER BOARDED A PLANE AND HEADED ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN TO DEAL 
WITH HIS TROUBLEMAKING PARTNERS, THE SYRIANS . BEHIND THE CRISIS WAS 
A GAMBLE THREE WEEKS AGO BY SYRIAN NASSERITES THAT BY YANKING 
THEIR SIX MINISTERS FROM THE CABINET THEY COULD BRING THE GOVERNMENT 
DOWN, TOUCH OFF STREET RIOTING, AND SNATCH CONTROL FROM THE DOMINANT 
BAATH PARTY IN THE RESULTING CONFUSION . UP TO A POINT, 
THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED . BAATHIST PREMIER SALAH BITAR HAD 
TO QUIT ; HIS REPLACEMENT WAS DR . SAMI JUNDI, SUPPOSEDLY 
A NASSER ADMIRER . BUT AS IT TURNED OUT, JUNDI, AFTER 
THREE SLEEPLESS DAYS AND NIGHTS OF TRYING TO PERSUADE BOTH SIDES 
TO COOPERATE, WEARILY STEPPED ASIDE TO LET ANOTHER PREMIER SEEK A 
SOLUTION . WHO WAS THE NEW PREMIER ? NONE OTHER THAN 
BITAR, WHO PROMPTLY FILLED THE NASSERITE CABINET VACANCIES WITH BAATH SUPPORTERS 
AND TIGHTENED THE PARTY'S GRIP OVER THE ARMY, THUS COMPLETING A 
PURGE THAT HAD ALREADY SENT TWO PLANELOADS OF OFFICERS SUSPECTED OF 
EGYPTIAN LEANINGS INTO EXILE . WITHIN HOURS OF THE ANTINASSER STROKE 
IN SYRIA, MUCH THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN IRAQ . THERE 
TWO NASSERITES WERE DUMPED FROM THE CABINET AND WERE REPLACED BY 
MORE PLIABLE FELLOWS . CAIRO WAS ENRAGED AT BAATH'S " TRICKERY, 
TREACHERY AND TERRORISM . " THUNDERED EGYPT'S AL GUMHURIA :. " 
PUNISHMENT FROM GOD IS SURE TO COME . OR IF NOT 
FROM GOD, FROM NASSER . 