---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At various times during the 1950's and…"
description: "\"“At various times during the 1950's and 1960's attempts were made by leaders in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria to unite as a single Arab nation, but du..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/alistair-maclean-31551_israel_at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1_3191443.jpg"
---

#  At various times during the 1950's and 1960's attempts…

![“At various times during the 1950's and 1960's attempts were made by leaders in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria to unite as a single Arab nation, but due to the famous independent streak ingrained in the Arab personality, nothing came of those efforts. In fact, the Middle East has suffered from…” quote by Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/alistair-maclean-31551_israel_at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1_3191443.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/alistair-maclean-31551_israel_at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1_3191443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/alistair-maclean-31551_israel_at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1_3191443.jpg)

> ““At various times during the 1950's and 1960's attempts were made by leaders in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria to unite as a single Arab nation, but due to the famous independent streak ingrained in the Arab personality, nothing came of those efforts. In fact, the Middle East has suffered from numerous uprisings, wars, and violent revolutions since the end of World War I right up to the present day.””

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote notes repeated attempts to unify Arab states failed due to a strong cultural emphasis on independence, leading to ongoing conflict in the region.

**In simple terms:** Arab unity attempts failed because of independent spirit, causing lasting turmoil.

Key Takeaway

Recognize cultural values when pursuing political unions.

Themes

politics history culture conflict nationalism

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- policy making
- diplomacy
- conflict resolution
- educational curricula

Key Concepts

Arab identity independence regionalism state formation

Questions to Reflect On

- How does cultural independence shape political outcomes?
- What strategies could balance unity with local identity?

A Different Perspective

Regional unity is challenging when deep-rooted identities resist centralization.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Arab Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab-nation-309274/) [Arab Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab-personality-5674075/) [End Of World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-world/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jordan/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [Present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-day/) [Syria Unite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria-unite-5888585/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/)

## Related quotes

> [The reason it has relevance is because I, as a popular Arab personality - the Arab people like me and respect me - thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sharif/the-reason-it-has-relevance-is-because-i-as-a-popular-arab/)

[Omar Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sharif/)

> [Egypt is the most populous Arab nation, the seat of Sunni Islamic doctrine, and has tremendous political, religious and social influence on the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/egypt-is-the-most-populous-arab-nation-the-seat-of-sunni-islamic/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [It would be hard to ignore the absence of democracy in any Arab nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schwartz/it-would-be-hard-to-ignore-the-absence-of-democracy-in-any-arab-nation/)

[Jack Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schwartz/)

> [A day will come when the nationalists will find themselves the only defenders of Islam. They will have to give a special meaning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-aflaq/a-day-will-come-when-the-nationalists-will-find-themselves-the-only/)

[Michel Aflaq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-aflaq/)

> [ Arab nation, Egypt, is not mentioned \[in the Muslim Ban\]? This is where facts are optional for the liberal media. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/arab-nation-egypt-is-not-mentioned-in-the-muslim-ban-this-is-where/)

[Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/)

> [You will triumph, O Iraqis, and with you the sons of your Arab nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/you-will-triumph-o-iraqis-and-with-you-the-sons-of-your-arab-nation/)

[Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/)

> [We can not imagine that an Arab population forming more than 80 percent of the Iraqi society will allow the article reading that Iraq…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saleh-al-mutlaq/we-can-not-imagine-that-an-arab-population-forming-more-than-80/)

[Saleh al-Mutlaq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saleh-al-mutlaq/)

> [Iraq will triumph and with Iraq will our Arab nation and mankind also triumph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/iraq-will-triumph-and-with-iraq-will-our-arab-nation-and-mankind-also/)

[Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/)

> [The oil is a gift bestowed by God on the Arab nation, to use after centuries of poverty, backwardness and servitude - in raising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/the-oil-is-a-gift-bestowed-by-god-on-the-arab-nation-to-use-after/)

[Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/)

> [Every Arab nation votes against us at least two thirds of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weyrich/every-arab-nation-votes-against-us-at-least-two-thirds-of-the-time/)

[Paul Weyrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weyrich/)

> [“Returning to Washington,FDR declared that Yalta Conference had put and end to the kind of balance-of-power divisions that had long marred global politics. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/returning-to-washington-fdr-declared-that-yalta-conference-had-put/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [“A t the end of World War II, the Nuremberg war tribunal sentenced the Waffen SS, possibly the finest fighting force the world has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillblad-ed-thorolf/a-t-the-end-of-world-war-ii-the-nuremberg-war-tribunal-sentenced-the/)

[Hillblad (ed.), Thorolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillblad-ed-thorolf/)

> [I don't feel I was 'born American,' but my homeland was denied to me after the end of World War II, and I craved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-don-t-feel-i-was-born-american-but-my-homeland-was-denied-to-me/)

[Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/)

> [People know Detroit for the cars, but the suburban areas of the city are really beautiful. It's much more inhabitable than people think. Many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/people-know-detroit-for-the-cars-but-the-suburban-areas-of-the-city/)

[Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/)

> [The international order established at the end of World War II could certainly have been worse. However, this order did contain certain factors which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eisaku-sato/the-international-order-established-at-the-end-of-world-war-ii-could/)

[Eisaku Sato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eisaku-sato/)

## More by Alistair MacLean

> [Bowman turned his back on her and began to search the place methodically and exhaustively. When one searches any place, be it a gypsy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/bowman-turned-his-back-on-her-and-began-to-search-the-place/)

[Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“Foster always said that education was very important, but that it didn't really matter, because intelligence was more important than that, and that even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/foster-always-said-that-education-was-very-important-but-that-it-didn/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [I wrote each book in thirty-five days flat - just to get the darned thing finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/i-wrote-each-book-in-thirty-five-days-flat-just-to-get-the-darned/)

[Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [I'm not a born writer, and I don't enjoy writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/i-m-not-a-born-writer-and-i-don-t-enjoy-writing/)

[Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [There are no brave men and cowardly men in the world, my son. There are only brave men. To be born, to live, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/there-are-no-brave-men-and-cowardly-men-in-the-world-my-son-there-are/)

[Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“Tallal, Lawrence relates, gave a moan like a hurt animal. Then he rode off to higher ground and remained there for some moments, shivering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/tallal-lawrence-relates-gave-a-moan-like-a-hurt-animal-then-he-rode/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [...the men of the Ulysses had no need to stand in shame...many had found, or were finding, that the point of no return was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/the-men-of-the-ulysses-had-no-need-to-stand-in-shame-many-had-found/)

[Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [This won't look so good in my obituary," Schaffer said dolefully. There was a perceptible edge of strain under the lightly-spoken words."Gave his life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/this-won-t-look-so-good-in-my-obituary-schaffer-said-dolefully-there/)

[Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“The point I make is simply that cruelty and hate and intolerance are the monopoly of no particular race or creed or time. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/the-point-i-make-is-simply-that-cruelty-and-hate-and-intolerance-are/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“I should have listened to Hunslett. Again I should have listened to Hunslett. And again for Hunslett's sake. But I didn't know then that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/i-should-have-listened-to-hunslett-again-i-should-have-listened-to/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“He must have courage, not the physical courage required on a battlefield but the moral courage to make and carry out decisions that might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/he-must-have-courage-not-the-physical-courage-required-on-a/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“She was still doing forty knots, driving in under the guns of the enemy, guns at maximum depression, when "A" magazine blew up, blasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/she-was-still-doing-forty-knots-driving-in-under-the-guns-of-the/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“She had the best kind of courage, or maybe the worst kind, the kind that gets you into trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/she-had-the-best-kind-of-courage-or-maybe-the-worst-kind-the-kind/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [I'm not a novelist, I'm a storyteller. There is no art in what I do, no mystique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/i-m-not-a-novelist-i-m-a-storyteller-there-is-no-art-in-what-i-do-no/)

[Alistair Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

> [“Every man is what environment and heredity make him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/every-man-is-what-environment-and-heredity-make-him/)

[Alistair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

[Explore all 16 Alistair MacLean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/)

## More Israel quotes

> [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/humanitarian-goods-and-people-must-flow-in-both-directions-gaza/)

[David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/)

> [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/)

[Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/)

> [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [In the Green Zone in Iraq you have your radio, you have your food, you have your own electricity, your own toilets. Everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/in-the-green-zone-in-iraq-you-have-your-radio-you-have-your-food-you/)

[Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/)

> [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/)

[Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/)

[Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/)

> [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [“Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Much to the bafflement of the Allies, however, Pope Pius XII said nothing. He refused to condemn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-shahrad/hitler-invaded-poland-on-1-september-1939-much-to-the-bafflement-of/)

[Cyrus Shahrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-shahrad/)

> [A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/a-strong-responsible-israel-can-become-a-stabilizer-in-such-a/)

[Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/)

> [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/)

[Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/)

[Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/)

> [I am a peace supporting Jew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-am-a-peace-supporting-jew/)

[Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/)

> [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/)

[James Cross Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cross-giblin/)

[Browse all 16,724 Israel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“At various times during the 1950's and 1960's attempts were made by leaders in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria to unite as a single Arab nation, but due to the famous independent streak ingrained in the Arab personality, nothing came of those efforts. In fact, the Middle East has suffered from numerous uprisings, wars, and violent revolutions since the end of World War I right up to the present day.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alistair MacLean"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1960-s-attempts-were-made-by/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Israel"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1960-s-attempts-were-made-by/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/alistair-maclean-31551_israel_at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1_3191443.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/alistair-maclean-31551_israel_at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1_3191443.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/alistair-maclean-31551_israel_at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1_3191443.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“At various times during the 1950's and 1960's attempts were made by leaders in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, and…” — Alistair MacLean",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alistair MacLean",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-maclean/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“At various times during the 1950's...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1960-s-attempts-were-made-by/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-maclean/at-various-times-during-the-1950-s-and-1960-s-attempts-were-made-by/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
