Mehdi Hasan

Mehdi Hasan’s polemical take on politics, economics and foreign affairs

General Petraeus’s leaked emails about Israel

Blogger Philip Weiss has them, and they’re not pretty.

By Mehdi Hasan Published 05 July 2010 19:17

I've written the cover story for this week's New Statesman on the rise and rise of David Petraeus and America's "cult of the generals".

Here's an extract:

Twelve of the 43 men who have served as US president have been former generals -- including the very first occupant of the Oval Office, George Washington. Nonetheless, there has not been a general in the White House since Dwight D Eisenhower, the former Supreme Allied Commander in the Second World War and architect of the D-Day landings, left office in 1961 (excoriating the "military-industrial complex" on his way out). But the rise of the generals in recent years, exemplified by the hallowed status of Petraeus, has altered the dynamic. If a general is elected to the White House in 2012 or 2016, the grip of this cult on the US polity will once again have been demonstrated.

Interestingly, in an unrelated story on the supposedly declining power of the Israel lobby in today's Guardian, the paper's Washington correspondent, Chris McGreal, writes:

Senior figures in the American military, including General David Petraeus who has commanded US forces in both wars, have identified Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian land as an obstacle to resolving those conflicts.

McGreal is referring to the general's official "posture" statement on US Central Command -- which Petraeus was in charge of before he was redeployed to Afghanistan by President Obama a fortnight ago. In this, he says:

The [Israel-Palestine] conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of US favouritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of US partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR [Centcom's Area of Responsibility] and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilise support. The conflict also gives Iran influence in the Arab world through its clients, Lebanese Hizballah and Hamas.

Petraeus's prepared statement caused uproar in pro-Israeli circles back in March, when it was published, with some on the right and the left automatically assuming he must be a private supporter of the Palestinians and that he had suddenly and bravely decided to stand up to the Israel lobby inside the United States.

But guess what? In a gaffe that hasn't yet attracted the same amount of press as Stanley McChrystal's bizarre interview with Rolling Stone, Petraeus accidentally leaked an email exchange of his -- with the belligerent, neoconservative, pro-Israeli columnist Max Boot -- to an activist named James Morris, who then passed it on to the blogger Philip Weiss:

Last March General David Petraeus, then head of Central Command, sought to undercut his own testimony before the Senate armed services committee that was critical of Israel by intriguing with a right-wing writer to put out a different story, in emails obtained by Mondoweiss.

The emails show Petraeus encouraging Max Boot of Commentary to write a story -- and offering the neoconservative writer choice details about his views on the Holocaust:

"Does it help if folks know that I hosted Elie Wiesel and his wife at our quarters last Sun night?! And that I will be the speaker at the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps in mid-Apr at the Capitol Dome . . ."

Petraeus passed the emails along himself through carelessness last March. He pasted a Boot column from Commentary's blog into in an "FYI" email he sent to an activist who is highly critical of the US's special relationship with Israel. Some of the general's emails to Boot were attached to the bottom of the story. The activist, James Morris, shared the emails with me.

You can read the full details here.

Meanwhile, here's a taster of Clayton Swisher's amusing response on the al-Jazeera blog:

It's not clear what miracles Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel can work for General Petraeus now that he's the top officer in Kabul.

Based on these emails Petraeus apparently authored, subsequently leaked to blogger Philip Weiss, it seems the former Central Commander thought a private dinner with Weisel and a Holocaust Museum stint might boost his pro-Israel bona fides ("some of my best friends are Jewish!").

I guess the good general is keener on becoming the next US president, and not upsetting the Israel lobby in the meantime, than some had assumed.

Tags: Israel

More from Mehdi Hasan

View the discussion thread.

31 comments

Tue, 2012-11-13 01:55 — David Evans

Those Other Petraeus Emails:

Please google: theamericanconservative.com/those-other-petraeus-emails/

Tue, 2012-11-13 00:36 — Dave Evans (not verified)

Broadwell scandal not the first time Petraeus was sloppy with email — in 2010 he leaked his own emails scheming with neocon Max Boot:

Please see: mondoweiss.net/2012/11/broadwell-scandal-not-the-first-time-petraeus-was-sloppy-with-email-in-2010-he-leaked-his-own-emails-scheming-with-neocon-max-boot.html

Mon, 2012-11-12 20:40 — David Evans (not verified)

Despite his truthful comments regarding Israel's belligerent and murderous acts against its neighbors being a detriment to US foreign policy and a danger to US troops, Petraeus was the last vestige of Zionist-neocon appointed members of the Obama administration. Perhaps the way is now clear for a new direction that is predicated more on the needs of America rather than on the wants of the psychopathic regime in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Please see consortiumnews.com/2012/11/10/behind-petraeuss-resignation/

Mon, 2010-07-26 23:57 — hp (not verified)

Holy mackerel!
I wonder how long before General Petraeus, just like Wesley Clarke, Mad Maddy Albright, John Kerry and who knows how many others before him, realizes in a political epiphany, "I just found out I'm Jewish!"

Fri, 2010-08-06 15:47 — A. P. Ricot-Jam (not verified)

Talking about the Holocaust, it’s now official – there’s been no actual shortage of Holocaust Survivors:

quote from The Holocaust Industry by Norman G. Finkelstein of the City University of New York, published by Verso in the year 2000:

'The Israeli Prime Minister's office recently put the number of "living Holocaust survivors" at nearly a million.' (page 83)

I've checked out the six volumes of Churchill's Second World War and the statement is quite correct - not a single mention of Nazi 'gas chambers,' a 'genocide' of the Jews, or of 'six million' Jewish victims of the war.

Eisenhower's Crusade in Europe is a book of 559 pages; Churchill's Second World War totals 4,448 pages; and De Gaulle's three-volume Mémoires de guerre is 2,054 pages.

In this mass of writing, which altogether totals 7,061 pages (not including the introductory parts), published from 1948 to 1959, one will find no mention either of Nazi 'gas chambers,' a 'genocide' of the Jews, or of 'six million' Jewish victims of the war.

Fri, 2010-08-06 15:57 — A. P. Ricot-Jam (not verified)

Elie Wiesel vs Encyclopaedia Britannica

Wiesel has been one of the most prominent spokesman for the very sizeable group of people known as Holocaust survivors. Wiesel has chaired the US Holocaust Memorial Council and has been the recipient of a Congressional Gold Medal and Nobel Peace Prize..

Time Magazine, March 18 1985:

‘How had he survived two of the most notorious killing fields [Auschwitz and Buchenwald] of the century? "I will never know" Wiesel says. "I was always weak. I never ate. The slightest wind would turn me over. In Buchenwald they sent 10,000 to their deaths every day. I was always in the last hundred near the gate. They stopped. Why?"

Compare this with Encyclopaedia Britannica (1993), under ‘Buchenwald’:

"In World War II it held about 20,000 prisoners.. Although there were no gas chambers, hundreds perished monthly through disease, malnutrition, exhaustion, beatings and executions."

Tue, 2010-07-27 09:45 — Lee John Barnes (not verified)

Glad to see you accept there is an 'Israel lobby'.

The fact that one of America's leading generals is so cowered by it that he has to demean himself by grovelling to the Israel lobby reveals who really runs America - the Israel lobby and not the military.

The Zionist Occupation Government is real and run America for itself.

Tue, 2010-07-27 08:54 — Lyndon Linsenmeier (not verified)

It is better to take this good discussion to Stormfront web site. The Jewish stranglehold on the USA is
formidible and can only be broken by a total boycott of Jewish America. We must do what we can to side with the Russian Federation, People's Republic of China, and Iran. One can not deal directly with disease at home. Only a strong man leading us according to a hybridization of old-fashioned American principles and the principles of National Socialism can save the Republic.

Fri, 2010-08-06 16:31 — Up_Front (not verified)

Kombo writes:
"Why is the Zionist Lobby in America so strong. I mean there`s allot of Irish in America so why isn`t the Irish Lobby as strong. Can anyone enlighten me as to this point."
Dare I say, that the most prominent LEGACY of ... Irish Americans are it's multitudes of "SALOONS."

Wed, 2010-07-14 01:12 — DanStlMo (not verified)

The General.... can be the President, at his will. Think about it.

Wed, 2010-07-14 02:51 — bobbski (not verified)

Sorry, George Washington never occupied the Oval Office.

Wed, 2010-07-14 03:06 — Debbie Menon (not verified)

Kudos to anti-neocon activist James Morris of http://america-hijacked.com/, whose tireless activism (and good fortune) helped expose Petraeus' close ties to the Zionists.

Listen to Phil Weiss of Mondoweiss on Antiwar Radio discuss the role of the Israeli government, the Likudniks and the neoconservative movement in lying the American people into war in Iraq, the dishonesty of the American media on all issues related to the occupations of the West Bank and Gaza strip, and the hilarious Gen. Petraeus email leaks here:

http://mycatbirdseat.com/2010/07/philip-weiss-of-mondoweiss-on-antiwar-r...

-- Debbie

Wed, 2010-07-14 03:49 — len jukes (not verified)

im surprised how many important people just do not understand the israeli set up and who really is the power behind it ....they end up stiffed .

Sun, 2010-09-12 12:40 — John Sebastian (not verified)

Is religion not just what people are brought up to believe? Are Muslims not Muslims, catholics not catholics, Hindus not Hindus etc, because of upbringing?

President Petraeus: The Neocons' Choice's picture

Wed, 2010-08-04 08:46 — President Petraeus: The Neocons' Choice (not verified)

David Petraeus for president? He keeps speculation alive.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0507/David-Petraeus-for-presi...

Wed, 2010-07-14 08:01 — James Gragg - Wichita (not verified)

Yep, the White House (& oval office) wasn't built until Madison took office. George Washington NEVER slept there. "The General," David Petraeus? I'm not sure about the guy. Colin Powel maybe, & "Swamp Fox, Admiral Fallon" sounds like my gut of guy! I think its time for the PC stuff to end, and some mealy mouth "C.S." is the last thing we need with where this economy is heading.

Thu, 2010-08-05 21:19 — Mosha (not verified)

Israel would have started an"UPROAR"if condosleeza Rice had objected to paying the latest theft of our social security money to the terror state of Israel in Euros, as they demanded.

Sun, 2010-08-08 02:10 — mjs (not verified)

YOU PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLY PARANOID ABOUT THE JEW.

REALLY PATHETIC.

GET A LIFE.

Thu, 2010-07-15 12:14 — General Washington (not verified)

General Washington was our first president the white house wasn't build I believe till about 1800 though he never lived in it he selected the site where the white house/oval office was to be built

John Adams was the first president to occupy it.
the White house was burned down in the war of 1812 James Madison had to escape from Washington to avoid capture from the British they burned Washington DC

Thu, 2010-07-29 01:57 — Jeanne (not verified)

Lumut -- you do not know history. Jews and Christians lived at peace in Muslim lands for centuries before the creation of the state of Israel.
Read Zachary Karabell's book "Peace Be Upon You" which traces this history of peaceful co-existence. I heard Karabell speak on his book -- by the way, he is Jewish.

Mon, 2010-10-04 15:59 — President Petraeus: The Neocons' Choice (not verified)

Pro-Israel biased media threat to US security:

http://www.israelvworld.com/pro-israeli_bias.htm

Thu, 2010-07-29 05:37 — Strawman (not verified)

If Jews were as distinguishable as say, the Chinese, or Africans, the American people would have long since woken up to what is going on in D.C. The problem is that they blend in so well when they need to and agitate so well when it suits them.

Thu, 2010-07-15 15:19 — FedupFred (not verified)

Not sure about the General but the Israelis are dumb for sure.
Instead of focusing on the existential threat from Iranian nukes they are fighting dumb over a couple of houses in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
In the pursuit of homes, they are ignoring the homeland.
Plus Barry O aka POTUS is probably their best chance to get a real peace deal, instead they have adopted a attack is the best defense policy.
With respect to Patreaus I think even if he is building his lobby network for 2012, he is infinitely preferable to sexy but silly Sara and I would still push for Barry O.

Mon, 2010-07-05 20:16 — David Wearing1

On the power of the generals, or at least the dangers of militarism, an analogy with Rome might be worth exploring. Latter-day Rome became hollowed out economically at the centre, whilst continuing to maintain huge armies, not least to defend the northern edge of its empire. This resulted in over-mighty generals repeatedly marching on the city, and doing battle with each other for its control. Rome, essentially, became their plaything. And this is long after the old republic was itself extinguished by the hand of a general.

Now think about the US. It produces less and less economically. Its infrastructure is crumbling, its public health is a disaster, its financial system a timebomb, and its politics a circus in which the public has no faith. At the same time, it maintains a military expenditure close to the equivalent of the rest of the world combined, keeps military bases everywhere, is fighting two wars simultaneously and conducting covert operations in many more countries. Its political culture venerates the troops in a way that cannot possibly be healthy in a democracy, to the point where the President is referred to as "Commander-in-Chief" far more frequently than anyone should be comfortable with. This is all highly interlinked with the proto-dictatorial interpretation of the constitution advocated by the GW Bush regime, wherein torture and the laws passed by Congress are whatever the President/Commander-in-Chief says they are.

Who knows where this will lead. In a sense there's little point in idle speculation. But we should at least acknowledge the fact that democracy is not ordained by God, or bound to be a permanent state of affairs, unthreatened by real-world developments and without need of defence.

Thu, 2010-07-08 17:07 — White Refugee (not verified)

Scampy,

As far as I was aware, it was not Admiral Mullins, who referred to Gen. Petraues as such; but Swamp Fox, Admiral Fallon.

I also think Petraues is lots smarter than many of his critics; who have far less integrity and who like to throw lots of mud and hope some sticks.

Thu, 2010-07-08 17:10 — White Refugee (not verified)

I was referring to Petraues civilian critics. Frank talk in the military is frequently used by civilians to attempt to malign military officials for their opinions at a given point in time. Civilians can learn allot from military about frank, honest, blunt communication. PIty they prefer lies, which they call 'diplomacy'.

Thu, 2010-07-15 16:22 — Debbie Menon (not verified)

http://mycatbirdseat.com/2010/07/me-general-petraeus-the-israel-lobby/

A must watch video. It is interesting...Petraeus comes across visually as an indecisive, insecure and weak man, reminiscent of a horse-dealer trying to sell a dead or lamed horse.

Coupled with those qualities, and the text of the Max Boot emails, he is a vain and ambitious man of little personal character and strength, an ideal AIPAC candidate for the Presidency.

Given some solutions to his current problem, having been sidetracked of to the wars and out of the way, were he to run in 2012 he would probably beat Obama, who has yet to pay off on the last election,which will cost him the next.

There is no question of whose man Petraeus is!

I Don't underestimate the powers of AIPAC and the ADL. They run deeply.

If they want Petraeus home again, and on the campaign trail in time for 2012, he will be home,out of uniform and running for the job!

Remember that preliminary "collapse!" All it would take is one more such "collapse" for a request for R&R, which would not affect severely his chances to run for President.

Both he and Obama will do as they are told. They are not their own men, they are owned men.

I expect Petraeus will not last out the summer in Afghanistan. He will certainly be home before winter.

---Debbie

Mon, 2010-07-05 21:36 — Des Demona (not verified)

Ok so what do we got? The general officialy says the Israel/Palestinian question is a roadblock and an anti-west propaganda coup.
Pretty obvious.
He then seeks to put out that he isn't actually anti-Israeli per se.
Given the strength of the Israel lobby in Washington he'd have to say that to get anything done.
No story.