Nasser and Johnson
A Christmas Story
During the later years of his presidency, Gamal Abdel Nasser was much hated by his fellow Egyptians. Shorty before the Muslim festival of Eid, he was travelling back to Cairo in the company of his Army Chief, Field Marshal Hakim Amer, Al Ahram journalist Mohammad Hassanin Al Haikal, on an Egyptian military plane. The Field Marshall opened a window, and threw a ten Egyptian pound out of it. The journalist asked him why he did that, and he said, Why it will be Eid in two days, and finding this will make one poor Egyptian happy. Al Haikal thought it was an excellent initiative. I will make two poor Egyptians happy, said Al Haikal, dropping two ten pound notes. Nasser had watched, but said nothing, and he suddenly rose, opened the window, and before his two companions could stop him, he said, This will make millions of Egyptians happy, and took a dive.
Now, we are not advising Johnson to follow Gamal Abdel Nasser’s draconian steps, but a resignation will be an excellent Christmas present for the British nation.
