Nasser's ambiguous Cold War position created anxiety over access to the canal during a future emergency. Britain and France expected the waterway to carry troops, aircraft, ships, and supplies toward Asian commitments much faster than the route around Africa. Egypt's exclusion of Israeli shipping suggested that a canal authority might also bar another state when a crisis began. The strategic fear concerned the possible loss of a vital reinforcement route as well as canal revenue.
Chapter · 48:34-50:34
The Canal as a Strategic Lifeline
For Britain and France, Suez was a route for force movement and alliance commitments, not merely an economic asset.