tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post7942103970543447768..comments2024-03-20T01:06:12.181-04:00Comments on MEI Editor's Blog: I'm Late, But Here are Some Comments on the "Petraeus Memo" StoryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post-86911833079573633902010-03-16T10:08:56.903-04:002010-03-16T10:08:56.903-04:00Your general points are correct, Michael, and as P...Your general points are correct, Michael, and as Perry says the US military can be a lot more powerful lobby than AIPAC. The issue of linkage between the Israel/Arab issue and regional security has always lurked below the surface. At least, there has been strong linkage ever since June 1967 when the Israeli occupation of Muslim holy sites in East Jerusalem and Hebron and the long term effects of occupation of the West Bank and Gaza began to transform what had been a struggle of secular Zionist nationalism against secular Arab nationalism into a much more emotional struggle based on religious ideology. Petreus has obviously been impressed by the depth of feeling on this in non-Arab parts of his area of operations, such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. One small quibble about the CENTCOM AOR. It includes Egypt, Sudan and the horn of Africa. It does not include the states from Libya eastward.David Macknoreply@blogger.com