MILITARY SITUATION IN MIDDLE EAST

Southland Times, Issue 24367, 22 February 1941, Page 7

MILITARY SITUATION IN MIDDLE EAST

RUGBY, February 20.

Having left Britain last week the Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, and the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir John Dill, have arrived by air in Egypt. It is felt there that the time is clearly ripe for a full review of the political and military situation in the Middle East as an outcome of the brilliant victories of the Army of the Nile. No doubt full consultations will take place with General Sir Archibald Wavell and other authorities. In Mr Eden Cabinet will thus have one of its own members to report to it on affairs in this great theatre of war. This is Mr Eden’s third visit to Egypt since the beginning of the war. A year ago almost to a day as Dominions Secretary he greeted on their arrival the first contingents from the Dominions which have since played such a striking part in the victorious Libyan campaign. In November, as Secretary of War, he went out to discuss matters with General Wavell and personally inspected operations in North and East Africa. He is, therefore, equipped with a special knowledge of the military and political questions involved which is perhaps unrivalled among the younger statesmen. It is possible that he will find time to visit the great areas which were | so recently in Italian occupation.