"Nothing east of Suez"

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It may have been something of an overstatement even when it was published, which was in the early 1960's, but I once read a book (name forgotten) about the religious convictions of the West and how they viewed the East. It was a fairly scholarly book, closely written and not just some aerated panegyric for western approaches.

In the midst of which came a quick overview of the book's general thesis:

"Nothing east of Suez."

What a lot of changes.

How few things change.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
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