The US courted even a violent Muslim Brotherhood against Nasser

Evidence

One lesser-known aspect of the Eisenhower Doctrine was the “Islam strategy.” This strategy consisted of bolstering Islamist organizations against secular nationalists and trying to create an Islamic pole of attraction in King Saud of Saudi Arabia. In a letter to a confidant in the early fifties, Eisenhower said that “we wanted to explore the possibilities of building up King Saud as a counterweight to Nasser. The king was a logical choice in this regard; he at least professed anti-Communism, and he enjoyed, on religious grounds, a high standing among all Arab nations.” Some administrators even began to develop the notion of Saud as a kind of “Islamic Pope.” A year after Eisenhower wrote his letter about Saud, he received Said Ramadan, the son-in-law of the Muslim Brotherhood’s founder Hassan al-Banna, at the White House. Even though the Brotherhood had resorted to violent actions, killing several Egyptian officials, it was to become a part of the United States’ strategy in the Middle East. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 225

Categorization

• XREF: Concrete example feeding the reader’s guiding question ‘which myth protects which material interest.’ — connects to: Former Nazis in Cairo served both Nasser and Arab arms flows — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 810; Nasser’s Arab socialism actively suppressed the Muslim Brotherhood and clerical power — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 311; The Muslim Brotherhood avoided confronting Israel and was favored by occupation authorities — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 318 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Nasser’s Arab socialism actively suppressed the Muslim Brotherhood and clerical power #expands (0.80) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 311
• The Muslim Brotherhood avoided confronting Israel and was favored by occupation authorities #corroborates (0.60) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 318