LETTER TO JOHN L. SIMPSON FROM ALLEN W. DULLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R003900010101-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 18, 2002
• Sequence Number: 101
• Publication Date: February 20, 1958
• Content Type: LETTER

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ER 10-1104/a
3 1959
0/DCI~: Jnf 20 Feb 56
Dist:
Orig - Add
1 -
1 -
1 -FM
jw/cy ltr from Dearborn
y- 1 - ER w/basic & enc
1 - Reading vcc~ r ~_
P.S. Also I got ahead of
you and already had w copy.
seL:t MSTAhT
a copy of his letter to you.
I feared this result but
no ham in trying.
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BECHTEL CORPORATION
ENGINEERS-CONSTRUCTORS
155 SANSOME STREET
SAN FRANCISCO
JOHN L.SIMPSON
CHAIRMAN OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 11, 1958
You may be interested in this bro-
chure on an Arab Unity Highway.
Perhaps it will take more than high-
ways to bring order into the Middle East,
but anyway this is an idea which Steve, who
always likes the practical approach, thinks
may have merit.
If you think Foster might be inter-
ested you might show it to him.
With all the best,
Enc.
Mr. Allen W. Dulles
2430 E Street, N.W.
Washington 25, D. C.
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TOY
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 At- T U R K E Y
E13 ANON S Y h: I Fa
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PRELIMINARY REPORT
rv^ t LJ1" i t 14i5 "~Po-
January 15, 1958
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For many years Americans who have lived and
worked in the Middle East have sought ways and
means of contributing to the welfare and progress
of the Arab peoples.
Resulting from many discussions, the thought has
been developed that a system of highways between
the capitals and centers of population would be ex-
ceedingly important to the Arab nations and that
technical assistance and material help in the imple-
mentation of this idea would be appropriate.
Thus, this Preliminary Study was conceived and
is humbly presented to those who share the desire
to further Arab unity.
S. D. BECHTEL
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Contents
MAP I
Frontispiece
INTRODUCTION
MIDDLE EAST ROUTES OF THE PAST
THE ARAB UNITY HIGHWAY
7
8
9
Middle East Craftsmen and Materials
10
Map II
11
Estimated Mileage and Costs
12
Schedule of Construction Time
13
Significance of an Arab Highway System
14
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Introduction
The Middle East is an area of great importance to the entire world.
Today it is occupied by a number of independent countries most of which
are inhabited by one race of people (the Arabs) with a common language,
a common religion, and a community of interests.
In ancient times two great civilizations were located in this area. Both
reached a state of high cultural development and great prosperity, profit-
ing from a communicating system of protected caravan routes. Today,
however, caravan routes no longer will satisfy the transportation needs
of these Arab lands.
Elsewhere in the world peoples, such as those of the United States of
America, have achieved a high degree of unity even though spread over
large areas of land. In every case, unity and cooperation have been fur-
thered by good communications.
Economically there has been an increase in profitable trade which, in
turn, has fostered prosperity and raised living standards. A better standard
of living makes for contented peoples and internal and external peace.
Culturally the closer association made possible by better communica-
tions promotes understanding and the interchange of ideas, to the advan-
tage of all who participate.
The desire of the Arab countries to cooperate with each other is mani-
fested by their forming of the Arab League and by the strengthening of
cultural and religious ties. Historically, it is true that improved communi-
cations promote such cooperation-and that cooperation, in turn, builds
the strength-economic, political and cultural-of those who cooperate.
The wisdom of this view has been apparent through the centuries.
Nearly 2,000 years ago the Romans built roads to all parts of the Empire
and paved many of them, including some that pass through Arab lands.
Remnants of these roads still exist. The great system of Roman roads has
been credited with having been an important factor in preserving Roman
civilization for so many centuries.
Travel over land always has been difficult in the Middle East because of
the arid character of the country. Conditions are similar to those that
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exist in the southwestern part of the United States of America where, in
an area of comparable size, the same problems are found as in the Syrian
and Arabian deserts. The experience of a century of road-building in the
deserts of the American Southwest would be helpful in planning and l ,uild-
ing a system of highways in the Arab lands.
It is proposed that existing roads be improved and new roads built
into a modern highway system that will connect the major Arab capitals
-the Arab Unity Highway. The route is rich in tradition.
Middle East Routes of the Past
Mesopotamia on the east and Egypt on the west were the cradles of
modern civilization. Mastering the obstacle of the deserts, their peoples
made contact before the dawn of history. Trade and travel routes had
become well organized by 1500 B. C.
Over thousands of years, numerous trails have been in use between
Syria and Mesopotamia. Tadmor, later known as Palmyra, was mentioned
in Assyrian inscriptions of i ioo B.C. as a center of the caravan trade.
During the second and third centuries A.D., the Palmyrene routes to the
East enjoyed extensive use.
The main north-south route along the westerly border has been a great
highway since prehistoric times. Even before Petra became the center of
the Nabatean Empire, caravan traffic between Arabia and Syria was
heavy. When the great Hajj caravans began their yearly journe\s to
Mecca they chose this way south from Damascus, so that Darb el Ha' j, as
part of it was called in the Middle Ages, became a heavily traveled
thoroughfare.
One of the great traditional paths of the faithful ran south and southwest
from Baghdad to the sacred cities of the Hejaz, reaching Mecca by way
of Hail and returning from Medina. Known as the Darb Zubaida, it was
made practicable for travel about 800 A.D. by the construction of fortified
reservoirs.
The modern period in desert travel began in the 1920's. Motor cars and
trucks were first put into regular commercial use in 1923 and thereafter
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travel across the desert grew, within the limitations imposed by lack of
adequate roads.
As shown by the history of its routes of travel, the Middle East is the
connecting link between the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe. It has
been called "the crossroads of the continents." But that name is more
fanciful than accurate because as yet there are few "crossroads" in the
modern sense.
The Arab Unity Highway
Engineers well acquainted with conditions in the Middle East were
commissioned to lay out on paper a system of trunk roads which would
strengthen cultural, religious, political and economic ties among the Arab
countries.
The proposed highway system, shown on accompanying maps, con-
nects the capitals of the principal Arab countries in the Middle East, and
covers the traditional overland routes to the Holy Cities of Mecca and
Medina. The westerly highway location follows the way of the Prophet,
and the central route the legendary corridors for the seasonal grazing of
the herds. The pathway of modern Arab development is followed to the
north and west. Merging of the ancient routes of caravan travel and the
routes of modern development would result in a comprehensive highway
system that would well meet the needs and requirements of the modern
Arab, and would result in an ever-increasing bond of friendship and
respect among the various Arab countries.
The basic standards considered for the highway system are those gen-
erally accepted for earth, sand-clay, and gravel highways in the south-
western part of the United States. The criterion for determining the best
and most economical location of the highway between control points is
deemed to be the balanced and experienced judgmentof men with knowl-
edge gained from building similar types of highways in and regions of the
Middle East, North Africa and other parts of the world. This would insure
a location and design of the highway that would result in the greatest
possible good from the money expended.
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In estimating the costs of an Arab Unity Highway system, a good pioneer-
ing type of road has been considered with due foresight to be exercised in
working out the location and design of the highway so that later improve-
ments could be made without the necessity of making expensive charges
in the location or otherwise wasting any considerable part of the work
already accomplished. The general rules should be to avoid sharp curves
and to maintain several hundred feet of visibility on steep grades in the
interest of safety; further, to provide ample width for vehicles to pass each
other without leaving the traveled way. In mountainous regions the route
should be adapted to the lay of the land in order to avoid expensive con-
struction. The surface of the highway should be such as to remain reason-
ably firm and smooth and to become neither very dusty nor very muddy
under any combination of weather and traffic conditions.
In a few short sections of the highway system a hard-surfaced road
exists, and it is proposed that improvement work be done on these sections
as required. In sections where the highway must be graded, it is generally
proposed that a suitable type of road mix oil surfacing would be applied
and, in areas where the traffic would be very light and such expense not
justified, a water-bound gravel or crusher-run rock macadam could be
used.
The general specifications for the highway would be to fit the grade
line to the ground surface so as to keep down the amount of grading neces-
sary and to balance cuts and fills to the end that wherever grading is done
it would be to the best possible advantage and effective drainage would be
provided. The highway surface should be crowned so as to shed water to
the side ditches and wherever the highway would be in an excavation to
provide suitable side ditches so that the water would be turned from the
road. Cross drainage would be provided by culverts for minor drainage
channels and by dips in lieu of bridges across most stream beds or wadis.
MIDDLE EAST CRAFTSMEN AND MATERIALS
The commercial growth of the Middle East in recent years has resulted
in the development of numerous independent Arab contractors and a
reservoir of craftsmen skilled in the trades required for highway con-
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ARAB UNITY HIGHWAY
LEGEND
??????^???? Approximate International Boundary
Proposed Highway
-- - Pipelines
++--~-- Railroads
6U,CF OF ADEN
BECHTEL INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
15. JANUARY. 1958 .
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gs~
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struction. Further, most of the necessary materials are available in the
area. Fine and coarse aggregates and petroleum products are in plentiful
supply.
ESTIMATED MILEAGE AND COSTS
As planned, the highway system is approximately 4,767 miles in length
and would cost about $380,000,000 to construct. The routes pass through
a number of Middle East countries and the distance and expenditure in
each country is estimated as follows:
Mileage
Cost
Egypt
282
$ 20,000,000
Iraq
950
56,700,000
Jordan
310
31, 000, 000
Kuwait
135
11,300,000
Lebanon
40
1,000,000
Saudi Arabia
2,700
228,300,000
Syria
350
31,700,000
Totals
4,767
$380,000,000
Broad coverage of the entire area is provided by the suggested program,
as indicated in the following tabulation which contains more detailed in-
formation on the distances and estimated costs of the highway between the
various capitals and centers of population:
SECTION
COST
Beirut
To
Damascus
Miles
60
Per Mile
$25,000
Total
$1,500,000
Improve existing road.
Damascus Baghdad 500
85,000
42,500,000
New road present route.
Baghdad Basra 305
Now under construction.
12
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SECTION
Remarks
Basra
Kuwait
103
100,000
10,300,000
New construction.
Kuwait
Dhahran
265
100,000
26,500,000
New construction.
Dhahran Riyadh
300
91,000
27,300,000
Partial new construction.
Riyadh Mecca
600
95,000
57,000,000
New construction.
Damascus Jumaima
565
95,000
53,675,000
New road-present route.
Jumaima Baghdad
273
85,000
23,205,000
New construction
Jumaima Riyadh Rd. 360
100,000
36,000,000
New construction.
Damascus Amman
136
82,500
11,220,000
New road-present route.
Amman Aqaba
200
94,000
18,800,000
New road-present route.
Aqaba Medina
500
90,000
45,000,000
New construction
Medina Jiddah
240
10,000
2,400,000
Improve existing road.
Jiddah Mecca
40
25,000
1,000,000
Improve existing road.
Cairo Suez
80
25,000
2,000,000
Improve existing road.
Suez junction
240
90,000
21,600,000
New construction. Ferry
across Strait of Tiran.
TOTAL
4,767
$380,000,000
If the entire program is not undertaken, the greatest benefit would
come from connecting the capitals of Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Syria-
Baghdad, Riyadh and Damascus. This highway system would be approx-
imately 1,695 miles long and would cost about $155,700,000.
SCHEDULE OF CONSTRUCTION TIME
The Arab Unity Highway could, if desired, be built as a priority program
in two or three years after the necessary money becomes available by
using a combination of qualified Arab road constructors and an experi-
enced engineering and management organization to expedite and co-
ordinate the entire work. However, there is probably insufficient heavy-
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duty road-construction equipment within the area and it would 6c
necessary to bring in additional equipment, materials, and supplies to
supplement those available in the Middle East.
Should it be desired to build the highway system over a period of time,
this, as a practical matter, could be done by taking the job in the desired
stages. The first logical stage would be to build basic roads where none
now exist, the second to improve the line and grade of the entire highway
system, and the third to surface the highway system.
SIGNIFICANCE OF AN ARAB HIGHWAY SYSTEM
A highway system of this kind would provide the most desirable and
economical means of transportation to meet the Middle East's present
and future needs. By making possible rapid, low-cost travel between the
countries such a highway would go far to stimulate genuine cooperation.
The inevitable increase in trade that would result would provide a
strong economic base and bring about a higher standard of living.
Mutual Arab interests-religious, political, cultural-would be well served
by the establishment of fast modern communications. The security of
the Arab lands would benefit greatly from the existence of such a strategic.
network of internal highways. Good transportation would aid in the
development of natural resources which, in turn, would contribute to the
strength of the area and the realization by its peoples of their most
desired objectives.
For these reasons, the linking of the Arab countries by a highway system
would be a significant step toward achievement of true Arab unity.
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