The Game of Nations: The Amorality of Power Politics [Hardcover]

Miles Copeland (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 318 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (May 15, 1970)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671205323
• ISBN-13: 978-0671205324
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #620,616 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an ironic reminiscence, October 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Game of Nations (Hardcover)

Mr. Copeland is a very seasoned operative. He writes with the straight-forward attitude because he doesn't care anymore. He tells about the many misguided U.S. policies without anger or prejudice. He doesn't try to draw grand moral lessons, but shows how intentions and hopes of U.S. leaders ignored the realities and possibilities of their Arab counterparts.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ....loooong American chronicles......., October 26, 2006

By 

Mr Bassil A MARDELLI "Antoun" (Riad El-SOLH , Beirut Lebanon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Game of Nations: The Amorality of Power Politics (Hardcover)

The book was written in the late sixties of the last century.

What Copeland did not mention in his book, though, was the fact that Egypt - during the reign of King Farouk I and three years before Nasser came to power - had invited certain ex-Nazi German Scientists and Military trainers (High ranking officers) to come to Cairo with an important mission. Haidar Pasha (The King's Minister of War!!) - following upon the poor performance of the Egyptian Army in 1948 fighting against Israel - wanted to remodel the Egyptian Army, improve training and upgrade their field capabilities based on German expertise, and he commissioned the ex-Nazis to do the work.

But the Americans and the Israelis were not `blind' about this matter.

Copeland was CIA cover in Iran and Cairo. When Nasser toppled the King, Copeland was stationed in Cairo to offer USA assistance to Nasser and simultaneously do three main tasks: 1) To identify and oust all ex-Nazi `staff' that was trickling into Cairo as Consultants in chemical plants 2) US was worried that border skirmishes with Israel might disrupt the flow of oil and harm US interests in the region. 3) CIA saw in Nasser a staunch opponent to Communism and by standing by his side USA could end Britain's control of the `Middle East - Gulf' oil resources and forestall any Soviet influence in the region.

Based on this rationale the `Wehda' - The Union - between Egypt and Syria was born in 1958, when the Syrian Communist Party had been gaining momentum in the person of Khalid Bakdash.

Nasser (then 40) was not to be intimidated nor was Copeland successful in alienating Nasser from the Soviets, because the USA - in a sudden change of its approach towards Egypt - declined to provide any financial assistance on the Aswan Dam and the brothers Dulles (John and Foster) acted independently of field recommendations made by the CIA - Copeland.

Copeland strived to keep Egypt in the USA camp, but Dulles had already made up his mind and reversed USA policy. (USA main ally now was Israel)

Up to the writing of his book - The Game of Nations - Copeland had figured high during the Iraqi Coup led by Abdul Karim Qassim that massacred King Faisal II.

Copeland made contacts with Qassim's regime and when he didn't receive good hearing, he made contacts notably with its new opponents including the Ba'ath Party (and the young Saddam Hussein and other Arab Nationalists). Saddam Hussein was later aided in the first assassination attempt on Qassim, and fled to Cairo when it failed.

Qassim had also been a staunch opponent to the UAR (United Arab Republic - Syria and Egypt).

Qassim was strongly supported by the Iraqi Communist Party.

In 1963, Saddam returned from Cairo to Baghdad and played another major role in the assassination of Qassim (the second) and the consequential purge against the Iraqi Communists (the media was awash with massacres committed in Kirkuk and Musul)

Copeland was an admirer of Beirut and his children attended American schools (International College).

The Book is a `case study' based on `role playing' interspersed with `scenarios' some of which are excerpts from true conversations made at the time Copeland (a professional writer) hid them in a `play-Game' context.

Should it be taken seriously? Can one distinguish between `Fact and Fiction? The answer is YES and NO.

Copeland career is much longer than the stout covers binding his book and deserves attention from Hollywood producers. Believe me it can make the best of the best sellers yet offered on these long American chronicles...