I just read this yesterday in a Vanity Fair article about Gen. Petraeus and it made me wonder how much influence he's had on Obama's Middle East policy:
"In addition to these two major wars, Petraeus is responsible for the politically delicate security-assistance efforts in Pakistan and Yemen. He is responsible for preparing military options in the event that a confrontation with Iran over its nuclear ambitions moves beyond threats and sanctions. He has brought an expansive vision to his new job, just as he has done in the past, pushing the Obama administration to rethink its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the broader context of the region. He relies on the cooperation of Arab nations, and so must cope with their unhappiness over America’s inability to make progress in peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. It is such a direct problem for Petraeus that he raised the question with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs last year of whether the Palestinian territories should eventually be added to his command portfolio—they currently reside with EuCom (the European Command). Ultimately, Petraeus did not recommend such a change, but the general’s thinking reportedly has begun to influence the Pentagon’s overall approach to the issue. Petraeus’s primary focus, however, is on routing al-Qaeda. Far more intensely than commanders were able to in the past—recall those computer screens in his office—Petraeus oversees the ever expanding effort to target and kill Islamist extremists, using everything from pilotless drones to submarine-launched cruise missiles. He still tries to go to bed every night with fewer enemies than he woke up with."
It's a great article. I learned things. http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/05/petraeus-201005?currentPage=1
Six, thanks for posting the perspective of Israelis. Very interesting.