Editors Note: A Repost from October 2010 with added relevance.
When Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser died suddenly at 52 on September 28, 1970 it cast doubt on what the future of the Middle East was going to be. For a long time, Nasser was considered by many to be the glue that held the otherwise volatile region together. He was widely admired and respected throughout the Middle East and many speculated who would be taking his place, once the 40 day period of mourning was over.
On the day of his death, NBC Radio ran a special program regarding his place in the world, with tributes and speculations coming in from various capitols around the region.
Nasser's vice-President Anwar Sadat took over and a new page in history began.
