Petraeus calls

A short blog to start the day. I’m just off on the bike to chair an intriguing session for the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

Don’t often get the call from the military. But two very special guests today: Generals David Petraeus (US) and Peter Wall (UK) are to speak and interact with an audience.
Both have Iraq experience, both are now key players in the deployment of forces in Afghanistan.

But Petraeus is of particular interest in that as Obama’s key military mind he has thought deeply about US policy in the Middle East. He has raised questions about the balance of US interests and the way its relationship with Israel is handled. In the aftermath of the Gaza flotilla debacle he may have interesting things to say.

I shall blog later about what the generals have to say and the experience of sitting amid such military might.