we begin this evening with a conversation with general david petraeus. he is the man who is in charge of the central command, which means he's in charge of the military effort in ffgz and pakistan. -- in afghanistan or pakistan. >> tell not be a hub to hub offensive, this is as much political as it is military and in fact, that's why it was so important that president kar zywent down to -- that president karzai went down to kandahar and met with 1,500 of the political notables and others and in fact, heard from them, some of them criticism of the afghan government, criticism of president karzai, president karzai in turn, all on the television camera pointed a finger at himself and said that indeed some of that does need to be addressed by the afghan government without question. >> charlie: two savvy reporters who just returned from afghanistan. dexter filkins of "the new york times" and greg jaffe of "the washington post." >> the whole thing is to make something that can outlast the american president and make it stable so it once again doesn't become a

i don't think that's what david petraeus will say and that's why i think it's somewhat unfair to suggest that he was. >> rashid, what do you think? does it strike you as a shift for the united states to be suggesting that this stalled peace process hurts america's ability to pursue its interests? >> what they're saying is that israel is a drag on the united states. it's not a strategic asset. and this is a discoursive shift of some significance. i don't think they're saying you know, remove settlement "x" from hilltop "y." what they are saying is that israel is not the strategic asset it was touted as during the cold war. and we've gone back, in effect, to the eisenhower administration's view where the middle east is an area where the united states has problems and israel is in a sum's small way one of those problems. >> do you see the shift as dramatic as you were just describing? because what obama has said and what petraeus' report has said is not israel is a strategic drag. it is that the lack of progress in the peace process is the problem. you know, that we need this process to be

civilian and military officials of the deputy national security adviser for near eastern affairs and david petraeus have visited kaman in recent months to how we can confront the threat two about credit and the results of disengagement was forced actions and aggressive response we have seen to in many years. those actions to emphasize began before the december 25th plot and have continued ever since. we recognize the al qaeda has taken advantage of insecurity which is worsened by internal conflict. we also know yemen is grappling with serious poverty than the poorest country in the world the lack of resources deliverance of services to deal with terrorism so the estates policy must be conceived in strategic terms and timeline said is why the administration has adopted a two-pronged strategy for young men to help the government confront the immediate security concern of al qaeda get -- of credit and govern the issues that the country faces long term. the only working to construct the space by a building of the country's capacity to do with the security threats, we also work to develop capacity for b

deputy national security advisor brennan, assistant secretary of state jeff feltman, general david petraeus and myself have visited yemen in recent months to discuss how we can jointly confront the threat of al-qaeda. and the result of this kind of engagement has been the most forceful actions and aggressive response that we have seen to aquap in many years. those actions it's important to emphasize began the december 25th plot and have continued ever since. we recognize that al-qaeda has taken advantage of insecurity in various regions of yemen, which has been worsened by internal conflicts. we also know that yemen is grappling with serious poverty. it's the poorest country in the arab world. the lack of resources inhibits good governance, deliverance of services and effectiveness of security services to deal with terrorism. so to have any chance of success the united states' policy must be conceived in a strategic term -- in strategic terms and timelines. that's why the administration has adopted a two-pronged strategy for yemen. helping the government confront the immediate security conc

they were the honored guests with a special meeting with a special commander david petraeus. >> i'vey treated that way, ever, not even an animal. we were told them not to feed anything because they might die the next morning. >> despite the horrors of what they saw, many of the americans never lost their perspective on right and wrong. like leo who rather than killing 91 nazi soldiers took them prisoner. instead he took for himself a souvenir. >> i knew he and his buddies had done all this bad stuff, i came so close to killing them, but did not. thought of a higher authority. >> survivors attended the ceremony at the capital were moved to be their liberators. >> i met some of them was an honor to me. all of us, we were literally the walking dead. >> david petraeus a commander of 101 airborne division, made eight point of a screaming eagle holding him up as a example. >> their actions continue to inspire that wear our nation's uniform. >> their units remain proud of their noble actions. in washington, fox news. >>> it's a constitutional battle that has been brewing for nearly 60 years

on the basis of good evidence talking to the insurgents, i want to underestimate the work that david petraeus and his crew did. and we should not forget the sacrifice. he worked every minute of every day to get this right and particularly in baghdad that is sky-high to separate the parties to go out to order the troops to stay there. state among the people. it takes enormous courage to do that and we have to credit that but that was not the number of troops. it was what they did ahead that was the surge 57 returning to the theme of the neocon and policy in iraq it comes will circle because you have the phenomenon of u.s. citizens who were policy makers who viewed with favor doing was to protect the but yet to one as the things that is surprising is that the israelis who are on the receiving end are not always that enthusiastic with the support of the neocons because it lacks fundamental understanding. >> i will with a story because that is the best way to go. i was in bethlehem and mr. arafat arafat asked to go on the negotiations bill. this was april 2002 and the israelis came into the west

i think that recent weeks have shown that the commander of centcom, general david petraeus has made itorts that american are national security is at risk when israel attacks or damages or is seen to impinge on muslim sacred symbol, for instance, jerusalem. i think that obama draw iing a line down showing no, we are now engaged in two important muslim country, afghanistan and iraq, we must also protect the sanctity of muslim soim bolls because her in charge of populations that care about this. and at certain point, israel cannot do everything it wants, that's a change it will tao take for the israelis to understand, but they have to come to is new arrangement with the palestinians. >> you think the president should have gone there and told the israelis how he feels. >> yes. and maybe it would have taken a year or two for them to believe it. if he has good argument and i believe he does, he could persuade them. >> the new book is "dining with al qaeda," hugh, thanks for coming in. >> thanks for having me. >>> controversy about the confederacy, a proclamation from virginia's governor spar

frontline's web site, where you can watch the full program again, read interviews with general david petraeus.. >> ...maintaining the moral high ground. >> ...marine commandant general james conway... >> ...our battalion to go into combat. >> ...and lance corporal justin sharratt. >> i pulled back and took cover behind the... >> explore what experts have to say about haditha's significance and how the media handled the story. >> two investigations, one of the killing, one of the cover- up. >> take a test on rules of engagement given to marines during training. how would you react to the same situations? then, join the discussion about this program at pbs.org. >> next time on frontline: world: in pakistan, a mysterious taliban cleric leading a rebellion, and the man who tried to stop him. >> this could have been nipped in the bud two years ago, and now you needed to send in 20,000 troops. >> and in russia, vladimir putin is leaving the presidency, but how will he hold onto power? these stories and more on the next frontline: world. >> to order frontline's "rules of engagement" on dvd, call pbs

talking to the insurgents that really made a difference, i won't underestimate the work that david petraeus and his crew did, and we shouldn't forget the sacrifice. he worked every minute of every day to get this right. and particularly in fact, which was blowing skyhigh you know, and into-- and two separate parties, to go out as he did into the neighborhoods and to order his troops to stay there. .com that tier base and go out tomorrow morning. stay there, stay among the people. i think it takes enormous comet does take enormous courage to do that. we have to credit that but it wasn't the number of troops. it was what they did, and that is what the surge was. as i said it was a surgeon thinking. >> host: again, returning to the theme of the neocons and their policy in iraq that comes full ccle toward the end of your book, because you have this phenomena of these u.s. citizens who are policymakers who in many aspects viewed what they were doing was to protect israel. and yet, one of the themes, again a sort of surprising thing but i rented to it myself, the same phenomenon, is that the isra

it was talking to the insurgents that made a difference i want to underestimate the work that david petraeus and his crew did and we shouldn't forget the sacrifice. he worked every minute of every day to get this right and particularly in baghdad which was blowing sky-high and to kind of separate the parties and go out as he did in the neighborhoods and order the troops stayed there, don't come back to the basement and go out tomorrow morning. stay there, stay along the people. i think it takes enormous -- it takes enormous courage to do that and we have to credit that but it wasn't the number of troops that mattered. it was what they did and that's what the surge was as i said a surge in thinking. >> host: returning to a theme of the neocons and the policy in iraq as it comes full circle toward the end of your book you say you had this phenomena of the u.s. citizens who were policymakers and in many aspects viewed with a were doing was to protect israel and yet one of the things again a sort of surprise i've run into it myself is the same phenomena is that the israelis who were on the recei