GeneralIn the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
David Howell Petraeus,
USAThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
(born November 7, 1952) is the 10th and current Commander,
U.S. Central CommandThe United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. It was originally conceived of as the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force .Its area of responsibility is...
. Petraeus previously served as Commanding General, Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) from January 26, 2007 to September 16, 2008. As Commander of MNF-I, Petraeus oversaw all coalition forces in Iraq.
Petraeus was the General
George C. MarshallGeneral of the Army George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense. Once noted as the "organizer of victory" by Winston Churchill for his leadership of the Allied victory in World War II, Marshall served...
Award winner as the top graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College—class of 1983. He subsequently earned a
M.P.A.The Master of Public Administration degree is a professional graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly nongovernmental organization and...
degree (1985) and a
Ph.D.Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated PhD , for the Latin , meaning "teacher of philosophy", or alternatively, DPhil, for the equivalent , is an advanced academic degree awarded by universities...
degree (1987) in International Relations from the
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International AffairsThe Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs is a professional public policy school at Princeton University. The school has granted undergraduate A.B. degrees since 1930 and graduate degrees since 1948...
at
Princeton UniversityPrinceton University a private university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League and is considered one of the Colonial Colleges....
. He later served as Assistant Professor of International Relations at the
U.S. Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, USMA is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key...
and also completed a fellowship at
Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Father John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. While the school struggled financially in its early years, Georgetown expanded into a branched university after the...
. He has a
BSA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years ....
from the
U.S. Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, USMA is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key...
—class of 1974—from which he graduated as a distinguished cadet (top 5% of his class).
Petraeus has garnered numerous accolades in recent years. In 2009, he received the
American LegionThe American Legion is a congressionally chartered mutual-aid veterans organization of the United States armed forces founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by the U.S. Congress. The American Legion was founded in 1919 by veterans returning from Europe after...
's Distinguished Service Medal, the
Atlantic CouncilThe Atlantic Council is a Washington, D.C. think tank and public policy group whose mission is to "promote constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st century." Founded...
's Military Leadership Award, the Union League Club of Philadelphia's Abraham Lincoln Award, the National Father's Day Committee's Father of the Year Award, National Committee on American Foreign Policy's George F. Kennan Award, the National Defense Industrial Association's Eisenhower Award, the Office of Strategic Service's William Donovan Award, the No Greater Sacrifice Freedom Award, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's Distinguished Citizen Award. He was also named as one of the "75 Best People in the World" in the October 2009 issue of "Esquire," as a Distinguished Member of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and as an Honorary Life Member of his childhood Cub Scout Pack, Orange County, New York Cub Scout Pack 6. In 2008, a poll conducted by
Foreign PolicyForeign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel. Under the stewardship of editor-in-chief Moises Naim, Foreign Policy evolved from an academic quarterly in the 1990s to a bimonthly glossy, winning the 2009, 2007, and 2003 National...
and
ProspectProspect may refer to:* Prospect , service innovation through digital experiences* Prospect , a Scottish architecture magazine...
magazines selected Petraeus as one of the world's top 100 public intellectuals. Also, the Business Executives for National Security awarded Petraeus their 2008 Eisenhower Award. Also in 2008, the Static Line Association named Petraeus as its 2008 Man of the Year, and
Der SpiegelDer Spiegel is a German weekly magazine, published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest weekly magazines with a weekly circulation of more than one million.- Overview :...
named him "America's most respected soldier." As 2008 came to a close, GQ Magazine (December 2008) named Petraeus as the "Leader of the Year: Right Man, Right Time", Newsweek named him the 16th most powerful person in the world in its December 20, 2008 edition, and
Prospect magazine named him the "Public Intellectual of the Year". In 2007,
TimeTime is a component of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify the motions of objects...
named Petraeus one of the 100 most influential leaders and revolutionaries of the year as well as one of its four runners up for Time Person of the Year. He was also named the second most influential American conservative by
The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Colonel Arthur B. Sleigh in June 1855 as the Daily Telegraph and Courier...
as well as The Daily Telegraph's 2007 Man of the Year. In 2005, Petraeus was selected as one of America's top leaders by US News and World Report.
Some news reports have speculated that Petraeus may have interest in running for the
presidencyThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
. Despite these accounts, Petraeus has categorically asserted that he has no political ambitions.
Early years
Petraeus was born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, the son of Miriam (
néeA married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage, and in speaking of the many cultures where the practice is traditional for women, the maiden name is the family name that the married name replaces....
Howell) and Sixtus Petraeus. His mother was American and his father was a sea captain who had immigrated to the United States from the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
during the initial phase of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Sixtus settled in Cornwall-on-Hudson, where David Petraeus grew up and graduated from
Cornwall Central High SchoolCornwall Central High School is the high school serving the Cornwall Central School District in Orange County, New York. It draws students from portions of three towns: Cornwall, New Windsor, and Woodbury, as well as the village of Cornwall-on-Hudson...
in 1970. Residents called him '
PeachThe peach is known as a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach. It is a deciduous tree growing to 4–10 m tall, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae...
es' in reference to his often-mispronounced last name and the nickname stuck with him as a cadet.
Petraeus then went on to the
U.S. Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, USMA is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key...
in nearby
West PointWest Point is a federal military reservation located North of the Village of Highland Falls in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. Petraeus was on the intercollegiate soccer and ski teams, was a cadet captain on the brigade staff, and was a "distinguished cadet" academically, graduating in the top 5% of the Class of 1974 (ranked 43rd overall). In the class yearbook, Petraeus was remembered as "always going for it in sports, academics, leadership, and even his social life."
Two months after graduation Petraeus married Holly Knowlton, a graduate from
Dickinson CollegeDickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the...
and daughter of Army General
William A. KnowltonGeneral William Allen Knowlton was a United States Army four star general, and a former Superintendent of the United States Military Academy...
who was
superintendentThe commanding officer of the United States Military Academy is its Superintendent. This position is roughly equivalent to the chancellor or president of an American civilian university. The officer appointed is by tradition a graduate of the United States Military Academy, commonly known as "West...
of the
U.S. Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, USMA is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key...
(West Point) at the time. They have two grown children, Anne and Stephen.
Education and academia
Petraeus graduated from West Point in 1974. He earned the General George C. Marshall Award as the top graduate of the
U.S. Army Command and General Staff CollegeThe U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a United States Army facility that functions as a graduate school for United States Armed Forces and foreign military leaders...
Class of 1983 at
Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active U.S. Army post west of the Mississippi River, in operation for over 170 years...
,
KansasKansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was...
. He subsequently earned a
M.P.A.The Master of Public Administration degree is a professional graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly nongovernmental organization and...
in 1985 and a
Ph.D.Ph.D. or PHD may stand for:* Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group* Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip* PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* Parisada Hindu Dharma, an Indonesian organization...
in
international relationsInternational relations or International studies represents the study of foreign affairs and global issues among states within the international system, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , non-governmental organizations , and multinational corporations...
in 1987 from
Princeton UniversityPrinceton University a private university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League and is considered one of the Colonial Colleges....
's
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International AffairsThe Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs is a professional public policy school at Princeton University. The school has granted undergraduate A.B. degrees since 1930 and graduate degrees since 1948...
, then served as an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the
U.S. Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, USMA is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key...
from 1985 to 1987. His doctoral dissertation, "The American Military and the Lessons of
VietnamVietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east...
: A Study of Military Influence and the Use of Force in the Post-Vietnam Era," dealt with the influence of the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
on military thinking regarding the use of force. He also completed a military fellowship at
Georgetown'sGeorgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Father John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. While the school struggled financially in its early years, Georgetown expanded into a branched university after the...
School of Foreign ServiceThe Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Jesuit priest Edmund A...
in 1994–1995, although he was called away early to serve in Haiti as the Chief of Operations for the UN force there in early 1995.
From late 2005 through February 2007, Petraeus served as Commanding General of
Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active U.S. Army post west of the Mississippi River, in operation for over 170 years...
, Kansas, and the
U.S. Army Combined Arms CenterThe U.S. Army Combined Arms Center is located at Fort Leavenworth and provides leadership and supervision for leader development and professional military and civilian education; institutional and collective training; functional training; training support; battle command; doctrine; lessons learned...
(CAC) located there. As commander of CAC, Petraeus was responsible for oversight of the
Command and General Staff CollegeThe U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a United States Army facility that functions as a graduate school for United States Armed Forces and foreign military leaders...
and seventeen other schools, centers, and training programs as well as for developing the Army’s doctrinal manuals, training the Army’s officers, and supervising the Army’s center for the collection and dissemination of lessons learned. During his time at CAC, Petraeus and Marine
Lt. Gen. James N. MattisGeneral James N. Mattis, USMC is the current Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command . He previously served as Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command and as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation from November 9, 2007 to September 8, 2009. Prior to that, he served as Commanding General, I Marine...
jointly oversaw the publication of
Field ManualU.S. Army Field Manuals are published by the United States Army's Army Publishing Directorate. As of 27 July, 2007, some 542 field manuals were in use. They contain detailed information and how-tos for procedures important to soldiers serving in the field. They are usually available to the public...
3-24,
Counterinsurgency, the body of which was written by an extraordinarily diverse group of military officers, academics, human rights advocates, and journalists who had been assembled by Petraeus and Mattis. Additionally, at both Fort Leavenworth and throughout the military's schools and training programs, Petraeus integrated the study of counterinsurgency into lesson plans and training exercises. In recognition of the fact that soldiers in Iraq often performed duties far different than those they trained for, Petraeus also stressed the importance of teaching soldiers how to think as well as how to fight and the need to foster flexibility and adaptability in leaders, he has been called "the world's leading expert in counter-insurgency warfare". Later, having refined his ideas on counterinsurgency based on the implementation of the new COIN doctrine in Iraq, he published both in Iraq as well as in the Sep/Oct 2008 edition of
Military Review his "Commander's Counterinsurgency Guidance" to help guide leaders and units in the Multi-National Force-Iraq.
1970s
Upon his graduation from West Point in 1974, Petraeus was commissioned an infantry officer. After completing
Ranger SchoolThe United States Army Ranger School is an extremely intense, 61+ days, combat leadership course, oriented to small-unit tactics, and conducted in three separate three-week-long phases - at Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S.A., , at Camp Rogers and Camp Darby, Georgia, 'the Mountain Phase' at Camp...
(Distinguished Honor Graduate and other honors), Petraeus was assigned to the 509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team, a light infantry unit in
VicenzaVicenza, a city in northern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione. Vicenza is approximately 60 km west of Venice and 200 km east of Milan....
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
. Ever since, light infantry has been at the core of his career, punctuated by assignments to
mechanized unitsArmoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
, unit commands, staff assignments, and educational institutions. After leaving the 509th as a first lieutenant, Petraeus began a brief association with mechanized units when he became assistant operations officer on the staff of the 2nd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at
Fort StewartFort Stewart is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post primarily in Liberty County, Georgia, but also occupying significant portions of Bryan County. The population was 11,205 at the 2000 census. The nearby principal city of Hinesville and Fort Stewart together comprise the Hinesville-Fort...
,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
. In 1979, he assumed command of a
companyA company is a military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 soldiers. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
in the same division: Company A, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), and then served as that battalion's operations officer, a major's position that he held as a junior captain. In 1988–1989, he also served as operations officer to the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized)'s
1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)The 1st Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army, notable for service in both World War II and most recently during Operation Iraqi Freedom.-History:...
and its 1st Brigade.
1980s
In 1981, Petraeus became
aide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Commanding General of the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized). He spent the next few years furthering his military and civilian education, including spending 1982-83 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; 1983-85 at Princeton; and 1985-87 at West Point. After earning his Ph.D. and teaching at West Point, Petraeus continued up the rungs of the command ladder, serving as military assistant to Gen. John Galvin, the
Supreme Allied Commander in EuropeSupreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
. From there, he moved to the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) and then to a post as aide and assistant executive officer to the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Carl Vuono, in Washington, D.C.
1990s
Upon promotion to
lieutenant colonelIn the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the rank of commander in the other uniformed services....
, Petraeus moved from the office of the Chief of Staff to Fort Campbell,
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
, where he commanded the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)'s 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment from 1991–1993. As battalion commander of the
Iron Rakkasans, he suffered one of the more dramatic incidents in his career when, in 1991, he was accidentally shot in the chest during a live-fire exercise when a soldier tripped and his rifle discharged. He was taken to
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterThe Vanderbilt University Medical Center is a collection of several hospitals and clinics, as well as the schools of medicine and nursing associated with Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.It comprises the following units:...
,
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is the second most populous city in the state after Memphis. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state...
,
TennesseeTennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...
, where he was operated on by future
U.S. SenatorThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
Bill FristWilliam Harrison "Bill" Frist, Sr. is an American physician, businessman, and politician. Frist served two terms as a United States Senator representing Tennessee where he became the Republican Majority Leader from 2003 until his retirement in 2007...
. The hospital released him early after he did fifty push ups without resting, just a few days after the accident.
During 1993–94, Petraeus continued his long association with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) as the division's Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (plans, operations and training) and installation Director of Plans, Training, and Mobilization (DPTM). In 1995, he was assigned to the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
Mission in
HaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Creole- and French-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago...
Military Staff as its Chief Operations Officer during
Operation Uphold DemocracyOperation Uphold Democracy was a response to the overthrow and expulsion of the duly elected government of Haiti by a military coup....
. His next command, from 1995–97, was the 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, centered on the
504th Parachute Infantry RegimentThe 504th Infantry Regiment was known during World War II as the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment . It was the first Parachute Infantry Regiment in the newly designated 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army....
. At that post, his brigade's training cycle at
Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training CenterFort Polk is a United States Army base located near Leesville, Louisiana.It was named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana, and a Confederate general. Fort Polk serves primarily as a training post for units preparing to deploy to fight...
for low-intensity warfare was chronicled by novelist and military enthusiast
Tom ClancyThomas Leo Clancy Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War and his video games. His name is also a brand for similar movie scripts written by ghost writers and many series of...
in his book
AirborneAirborne is a book written by Tom Clancy that explores the inner workings of the 82nd Airborne Division and the U.S. airborne forces.This book is a pretty good book that has many vivid examples of literay devices....
. From 1997-99 Petraeus served in the Pentagon as Executive Assistant to the Director of the Joint Staff and then to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Henry Shelton, who described Petraeus as "a high-energy individual who likes to lead from the front, in any field he is going into." In 1999, as a
brigadier generalA brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed services.-...
, Petraeus returned to the 82nd, serving as the assistant division commander for operations and then, briefly, as acting commanding general. During his time with the 82nd, he deployed to
KuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km and from east to west 170 km . The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." It has a...
as part of
Operation Desert SpringOperation Desert Spring is part of an ongoing operation in Kuwait by the United States, that was established on December 31, 1998, following Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield. The mission objective is to maintain a forward presence and provide control and force protection over the...
, the continuous rotation of combat forces through Kuwait during the decade after the
Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , known also as the Gulf War, the First Gulf War,or often as the Second Gulf War and by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles, or commonly as Desert Storm, for the military response...
.
2000s
From the 82nd, he moved on to serve as Chief of Staff of XVIII Airborne Corps at
Fort BraggFort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland, and Hoke Counties, North Carolina, U.S., near Fayetteville. It is also a census-designated place and as of 2000, had a population of 29,183. The fort is named for Confederate Army General Braxton Bragg.-History:Camp Bragg was...
during 2000–2001. In 2000, Petraeus suffered his second major injury, when, during a civilian skydiving jump, his parachute collapsed at low altitude due to a hook turn, resulting in a hard landing that broke his pelvis. He was selected for promotion to
Major GeneralIn the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general. Major general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the...
in 2001. During 2001–2002, as a brigadier general, Petraeus served a ten-month tour in
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
as part of
Operation Joint ForgeOperation Joint Forge was the name given to the operations of the NATO "Follow-On Force" in Bosnia beginning on 20 June, 1998. Operation Joint Forge terminated in Dec 2004 with the Transfer of Authority to the new European Union Force at NATO HQ, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, B-H.This slightly smaller...
. In Bosnia, he was the
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
Stabilization ForceThe Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement....
Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations as well as the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Joint Interagency Counter-Terrorism Task Force, a command created after the September 11 attacks to add counterterrorism capability to the U.S. forces attached to the NATO command in Bosnia. In 2004, he was promoted to Lieutenant General. In 2007, he was promoted to General. On April 23, 2008, Secretary of Defense Gates announced that President Bush was nominating General Petraeus to command U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The nomination required, and received, Senate confirmation.
101st Airborne Division
In
2003See also: Iraq, Iraq disarmament crisis, Invasion of Iraq, Occupation of Iraq. Civil war in Iraq-January:*January 30 - Facing worldwide criticism and against the wishes of the majorities of their own electorates, leaders of Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, and the Czech...
, Petraeus, then a Major General, saw combat for the first time when he commanded the 101st Airborne Division during V Corps's drive to
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
. In a campaign chronicled in detail by
Pulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by Hungarian-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City....
-winning author
Rick AtkinsonRick Atkinson is an American journalist and author whose contributions led to four Pulitzer Prizes.Atkinson was born in Munich. His father was an United States Army officer and he grew up at military posts. He earned his bachelor degree from East Carolina University in 1974 and a master of art...
of
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
in the book
In the Company of Soldiers, Petraeus led his division through fierce fighting south of
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
, in
KarbalaKarbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad at 32.61°N, 44.08°E. In the time of Husayn ibn Alī's life, the place was also known as al-Ghadiriyah, Naynawa, and Shathi'ul-Furaat. The estimated population in 2003 was 572,300 people. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate...
,
HillaAl-Hillah is a city in central Iraq on the river Euphrates, 100 km south of Baghdad, with an estimated population of 364,700 in 1998. It is the capital of Babil province and is located near the ancient cities of Babylon, Borsippa and Kish...
, and
NajafNajaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 900,600 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
. Following the fall of
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
, the division conducted the longest heliborne assault on record in order to reach
Ninawa ProvinceNinawa is a governorate in northern Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,453,000 people in 2003. Its chief city and the provincial capital is Mosul, which lies across the Tigris river from the ruins of ancient...
, where it would spend much of
2003See also: Iraq, Iraq disarmament crisis, Invasion of Iraq, Occupation of Iraq. Civil war in Iraq-January:*January 30 - Facing worldwide criticism and against the wishes of the majorities of their own electorates, leaders of Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, and the Czech...
. The 1st Brigade was responsible for the area
south of MosulNinawa is a governorate in northern Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,453,000 people in 2003. Its chief city and the provincial capital is Mosul, which lies across the Tigris river from the ruins of ancient...
, the 2nd Brigade for the city itself, and the 3rd Brigade for the region stretching toward the
SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....
n border. An often-repeated story of Petraeus's time with the 101st is his asking of
embeddedEmbedded journalism refers to news reporters being attached to military units involved in armed conflicts. While the term could be applied to many historical interactions between journalists and military personnel, it first came to be used in the media coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
Washington Post reporterA reporter is a type of journalist who researches and presents information in certain types of mass media.Reporters gather their information in a variety of ways, including tips, press releases, sources and witnessing events. They perform research through interviews, public records, and other...
Rick AtkinsonRick Atkinson is an American journalist and author whose contributions led to four Pulitzer Prizes.Atkinson was born in Munich. His father was an United States Army officer and he grew up at military posts. He earned his bachelor degree from East Carolina University in 1974 and a master of art...
to "Tell me how this ends," an anecdote he and other journalists have used to portray Petraeus as an early recognizer of the difficulties that would follow the fall of
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
.
In
MosulMosul is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 km northwest of Baghdad...
, a city of nearly two million people, Petraeus and the 101st employed classic counterinsurgency methods to build security and stability, including conducting targeted kinetic operations and using force judiciously, jump-starting the economy, building local security forces, staging elections for the city council within weeks of their arrival, overseeing a program of
public worksPublic works are the construction or engineering projects carried out by the state on behalf of the community.-Overview:The notion of internal improvements or public works is a concept in economics and politics...
, reinvigorating the political process, and launching 4,500
reconstruction projectsReconstruction of Iraq describes attempts by the international community to improve and repair the infrastructure of Iraq in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, when much was destroyed. Iraq was governed, after the 2003 invasion, by the Coalition Provisional Authority and, after June 28, 2004 by a...
. This approach can be attributed to Petraeus, who had been steeped in nation-building during his previous tours in places like Bosnia and Haiti and thus approached nation-building as a central military mission and who was "prepared to act while the civilian authority in Baghdad was still getting organized," according to Michael Gordon of
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
. Some Iraqis gave Petraeus the nickname 'King David', which was later adopted by some of his colleagues.
NewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly newsmagazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
has stated that "It's widely accepted that no force worked harder to win Iraqi hearts and minds than the 101st Air Assault Division led by Petraeus."
One of the General's major
public worksPublic works are the construction or engineering projects carried out by the state on behalf of the community.-Overview:The notion of internal improvements or public works is a concept in economics and politics...
was the restoration and re-opening of the
University of MosulThe University of Mosul is a public university located in Mosul, Iraq. It is one of the largest educational and research centers in the Middle East.- Academic program :The University of Mosul was reportedly founded 1st April 1967 The University of Mosul is a public university located in Mosul,...
. Petraeus strongly supported the use of commanders' discretionary funds for public works, telling
Coalition Provisional AuthorityThe Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States, United Kingdom and the other members of the Multinational force in Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
director
L. Paul BremerLewis Paul Bremer III , also nicknamed Jerry Bremer, is an American diplomat. He is most notable for being the U.S. Administrator of Iraq charged with overseeing the reconstruction of Iraq. In his role as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, he reported primarily to the U.S...
"Money is ammunition" during the director's first visit to
MosulMosul is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 km northwest of Baghdad...
. Petraeus' often repeated catchphrase was later incorporated into official military briefings and was also eventually incorporated into the U.S. Army Counterinsurgency Field Manual drafted with Petraeus's oversight.
In February 2004, the 101st was replaced in Mosul by a unit roughly one quarter its size—a
StrykerThe IAV Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled all-wheel-drive armored combat vehicles produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, in use by the United States Army. Based on the Canadian LAV III light-armored vehicle, which in turn is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha III 8x8, the Stryker is the U.S...
brigade. The following summer, the Governor of Nineveh Province was assassinated and most of the Sunni Arab Provincial Council members walked out in the ensuing selection of the new governor, leaving Kurdish members in charge of a predominantly Sunni Arab province. Later that year, the local police commander defected to the Kurdish Minister of Interior in Irbil after repeated assassination attempts against him, attacks on his house, and the kidnapping of his sister. The largely Sunni
ArabArab people or Arabs are an ethnic group whose members identify along linguistic, cultural or genealogical grounds...
police collapsed under insurgent attacks launched at the same time Coalition Forces attacked Fallujah in November 2004.
There are differing explanations for the apparent collapse of the police force in Mosul.
The GuardianThe Guardian is a British daily newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Founded in 1821, it is unique among major British newspapers in being owned by a foundation .The Guardian Weekly, which circulates worldwide, provides a compact digest of four newspapers...
quoted an anonymous US diplomat saying "Mosul basically collapsed after he [Petraeus] left". Former diplomat Peter Galbraith, a paid adviser to the Kurdish Regional Government, criticized Petraeus's command of the 101st, saying his achievements have been exaggerated and his reputation is inflated. He wrote for
The New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs published in New York City. It takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
that "Petraeus ignored warnings from America's Kurdish allies that he was appointing the wrong people to key positions in Mosul's local government and police." On the other hand, in the book
Fiasco,
Washington Post reporter Tom Ricks wrote that "Mosul was quiet while he (Petraeus) was there, and likely would have remained so had his successor had as many troops as he had--and as much understanding of counterinsurgency techniques." Ricks went on to note that "the population-oriented approach Petraeus took in Mosul in 2003 would be the one the entire U.S. Army in Iraq was trying to adopt in 2006."
TimeTime is a component of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify the motions of objects...
columnist
Joe KleinJoe Klein is a longtime Washington, D.C. and New York journalist and columnist, known for his novel Primary Colors, an anonymously written roman à clef portraying Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign. Klein is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is a former Guggenheim...
largely agreed with Ricks, writing that the
StrykerThe IAV Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled all-wheel-drive armored combat vehicles produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, in use by the United States Army. Based on the Canadian LAV III light-armored vehicle, which in turn is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha III 8x8, the Stryker is the U.S...
brigade that replaced the 101st "didn't do any of the local governance that Petraeus had done." Moving away from counterinsurgency principles, "they were occupiers, not builders."
New York Times reporter Michael Gordon and retired General Bernard Trainor echoed Ricks and Klein, including in their book
Cobra II a quote that Petraeus "did it right and won over Mosul."
Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq
In June 2004, less than six months after the 101st returned to the U.S., Petraeus was promoted to lieutenant general and became the first commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq. This newly-created command had responsibility for training, equipping, and mentoring Iraq's growing Army, Police, and other security forces as well as developing Iraq's security institutions and building associated infrastructure, such as training bases, police stations, and border forts. During Petraeus's fifteen months at the helm of MNSTC-I, he stood up a three-star command virtually from scratch and in the midst of serious fighting in places like Fallujah, Mosul, and Najaf. By the end of his command, some 100,000 Iraqi Security Forces had been trained; Iraqi Army and Police were being employed in combat; countless reconstruction projects had been executed; and hundreds of thousands of weapons, body armor, and other equipment had been distributed in what was described as the "largest military procurement and distribution effort since World War II," at a cost of over $11 billion.
In September 2004, Petraeus wrote an article for
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
in which he described the tangible progress being made in building Iraq's security forces from the ground up while also noting the many challenges associated with doing so. "Although there have been reverses -- not to mention horrific terrorist attacks," Petraeus wrote, "there has been progress in the effort to enable Iraqis to shoulder more of the load for their own security, something they are keen to do." Some of the challenges involved in building security forces had to do with accomplishing this task in the midst of a tough insurgency—or, as Petraeus wrote, "making the mission akin to repairing an aircraft while in flight -- and while being shot at." Other challenges included allegations of corruption as well as efforts to improve Iraq's supply accountability procedures. For example, according to former Interim Iraq Governing Council member Ali A. Allawi in
The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace, "under the very noses of the security transition command, officials both inside and outside the ministry of defense were planning to
embezzlePolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
most, if not all, of the procurement budget of the army."
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
stated in August 2007 that
the PentagonThe Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself....
had lost track of approximately 30% of weapons supplied to the Iraqi security forces. The General Accounting Office said that the weapons distribution was haphazard, rushed, and did not follow established procedures—particularly from
2004See also: Iraq, Occupation of Iraq, 2005 in Iraq, Civil war in Iraq-January:*January 10 - Protests in the city of Amarah because of an unemployment crisis...
to
2005-January:*January 4 - Governor Ali Al-Haidri, governor of Baghdad province, is assassinated along with two of his bodyguards.*January 21 - A suicide car bomb blows up outside a Shi'ite mosque in Baghdad killing 14 worshipers and wounding 40.*January 26 - 31 U.S...
, when security training was led by Petraeus and Iraq's security forces began to see combat in places like Najaf and Samarra. Over a hundred thousand
AK-47The AK-47 is a selective fire, gas operated 7.62mm assault rifle developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the 1940s. Six decades later, the AK-47 and its variants and derivatives remain in service throughout the world...
assault rifles and pistols were delivered to Iraqi forces without full documentation, and some of the missing weapons may have been abducted by
Iraqi insurgentsThe Iraqi insurgency is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures using violent measures against the United States-led multinational force in Iraq in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government, or by propaganda or money supportive thereof...
. Thousands of body armour pieces have also been lost.
The IndependentThe Independent is a British newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly's Independent News & Media. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily newspapers. The daily edition was named National...
has stated that the military believed "the situation on the ground was so urgent, and the agency responsible for recording the transfers of arms so short staffed, that field commanders had little choice in the matter." The Pentagon conducted its own investigation, and accountability was subsequently regained for many of the weapons.
Following his second tour in Iraq, Petraeus authored a widely-read article in
Military Review, listing fourteen observations he had made during two tours in Iraq, including: do not do too much with your own hands, money is ammunition, increasing the number of stakeholders is critical to success, success in a counterinsurgency requires more than just military operations, ultimate success depends on local leaders, there is no substitute for flexible and adaptable leaders, and, finally, a leader's most important task is to set the right tone.
Multi-National Force – Iraq (Spring 2007)
In January 2007, as part of his overhauled Iraq strategy, President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
announced that Petraeus would succeed Gen.
George CaseyGeneral George William Casey, Jr., USA is an American Army officer and the 36
th and current Chief of Staff of the United States Army. He has served in the Army for his entire adult working life. General Casey previously served as Commanding General, Multi-National Force - Iraq from...
as commanding general of MNF-I to lead all U.S. troops in Iraq. On January 23, the Senate Armed Services Committee held Petraeus's nomination hearing, during which he testified on his ideas for Iraq, particularly the strategy underpinning the "
surgeIn the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....
" of forces. During his opening statement, Petraeus stated that "security of the population, especially in Baghdad, and in partnership with the Iraqi Security Forces, will be the focus of the military effort." He went on to state that security will require establishing a persistent presence, especially in Iraq's most threatened neighborhoods. He also noted the critical importance of helping Iraq increase its governmental capacity, develop employment programs, and improve daily life for its citizens.
Throughout Petraeus's tenure in Iraq, Multi-National Force-Iraq endeavored to work with the
Government of IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
to carry out this strategy that focuses on securing the population. Doing so required establishing—and maintaining—persistent presence by living among the population, separating reconcilable Iraqis from irreconcilable enemies, relentlessly pursuing the enemy, taking back sanctuaries and then holding areas that have been cleared, and continuing to develop Iraq's security forces and to support local security forces, often called Sons of Iraq, and to integrate them into the Iraqi Army and Police and other employment programs.
The strategy underpinning the "surge" of forces, as well as the ideas Petraeus included in FM 3-24, have been referred to by some journalists and politicians as the "Petraeus Doctrine," although the surge itself was proposed a few months before Petraeus took command. Despite the misgivings of most Democratic and a few Republican senators over the proposed implementation of the "Petraeus Doctrine" in Iraq, specifically regarding the troop surge, Petraeus was unanimously confirmed as a four-star general and MNF-I commander on January 27.
Before leaving for Iraq, Petraeus recruited a number of highly educated military officers, nicknamed "Petraeus guys" or "designated thinkers," to advise him as commander, including Col. Mike Meese, head of the Social Sciences Department at West Point and Col. H.R. McMaster, famous for his leadership at the
Battle of 73 EastingThe Battle of 73 Easting was a decisive tank battle fought on 26 February 1991, during the Gulf War, between British-American armoured forces and those of the Iraqi Republican Guard. The battle took place about east of, and several hours after the Battle of Al Busayyah...
in the Gulf War and in the pacification of
Tal AfarTal Afar is a city and district in northwestern Iraq in the Ninawa Governorate located approximately 30 miles west of Mosul and 120 miles north west of Kirkuk...
more recently, as well as for his doctoral dissertation on Vietnam-era civil-military relations entitled
Dereliction of DutyColonel H.R. McMaster, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, wrote Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, The Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam. The book took 5 years to research and was completed in 1997 as a part of McMaster's Ph.D...
. While most of Petraeus's closest advisers are American military officers, he also hired Lt. Col.
David KilcullenDavid Kilcullen is an author and a consultant on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism. A former Australian Army officer, he left that army as a lieutenant colonel in 2005 and now works for the United States State Department. During 2007 he served in Iraq as Senior Counterinsurgency Adviser,...
of the
Australian ArmyThe Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
, who was working for the US State Department. Kilcullen upon his return from Iraq and based on his experiences has recently published,
The Accidental Guerrilla, and recently discusses the central front of the war and lessons learned in Iraq, the father of the surge and other topics with the
The Washington Post.
After taking command of MNF-I on February 10, 2007, Petraeus inspected U.S. and Iraqi units all over Iraq, visiting outposts in greater
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
,
TikritTikrit is a town in Iraq, located 140 km northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river...
,
BaqubaBaqubah is the capital of Iraq's Diyala Governorate.The city is located some 50 km to the northeast of Baghdad, on the Diyala River, just outside Iraq's so-called Sunni Triangle...
,
RamadiRamadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain. The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
,
MosulMosul is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 km northwest of Baghdad...
,
KirkukKirkuk , , , Kurdish: Kerkûk/کهرکووک , Turkish: Kerkük is a city in Iraq and capital of Kirkuk Governorate....
, Bayji,
SamarraSāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
, Basrah and as far west as al-Hit and Al Qaim. In April 2007, Petraeus made his first visit to Washington as MNF-I Commander, reporting to President Bush and Congress on the progress of the "surge" and the overall situation in Iraq. During this visit he met privately with members of Congress and reportedly argued against setting a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.
By late May 2007, Congress did not impose any timetables in war funding legislation for troop withdrawal. The enacted legislation did mandate that Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq,
Ryan CrockerRyan Clark Crocker is a Career Ambassador within the United States Foreign Service and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was the United States Ambassador to Iraq until 2009; he previously served as the U.S...
, deliver a report to Congress by September 15, 2007, detailing their assessment of the military, economic and political situation of Iraq.
In June 2007, Petraeus stated in an interview that there were “astonishing signs of normalcy” in Baghdad, and this comment drew criticism from Senate majority leader
Harry ReidHarry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party. He has been the Senate's Majority Leader since January 2007....
. In the same interview, however, Petraeus stated that "many problems remain" and he noted the need to help the Iraqis "stitch back together the fabric of society that was torn during the height of sectarian violence" in late 2006. Petraeus also warned that he expected that the situation in Iraq would require the continued deployment of the elevated troop level of more than 150,000 beyond September 2007; he also stated that U.S. involvement in Iraq could last years afterward. These statements are representative of the fact that throughout their time in Iraq, Petraeus and Crocker remained circumspect and refused to classify themselves as optimists or pessimists, noting, instead, that they were realists and that the reality in Iraq was very hard. They also repeatedly emphasized the importance of forthright reports and an unvarnished approach. "Indeed, Petraeus' realistic approach and assessments were lauded during the McLaughlin Group's 2008 Year-End Awards, when
Monica CrowleyMonica Crowley is a conservative radio and television commentator, and author based in New York City. She has her own radio show and is a regular commentator on The McLaughlin Group and Fox News.-Education:...
nominated Petraeus for the most honest person of the year, stating, "...[H]e spoke about the great successes of the surge in Iraq, but he always tempered it, never sugar-coated it."
Multi-National Force – Iraq (Summer and Fall 2007)
In July 2007, the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
submitted to Congress the interim report on Iraq, which stated that coalition forces had made satisfactory progress on 6 of 18 benchmarks set by Congress. On September 7, 2007, in a letter addressed to the troops he was commanding, Petraeus wrote that much military progress had been made, but that the national level political progress that was hoped for had not been achieved. Petraeus'
Report to Congress on the Situation in IraqThis article is about the fall 2007 final report. For the earlier interim report made in summer 2007, see Initial Benchmark Assessment Report....
on Iraq was delivered to Congress on September 10, 2007.
On August 15, 2007,
The Los Angeles Times stated that, according to
unnamed administration officialsIn journalism, a source is a person, publication, or other record or document that gives information.-Overview:Examples of sources include official records, publications or broadcasts, officials in government or business, organizations or corporations, witnesses of crime, accidents or other events,...
, the report "would actually be written by the
White HouseThe Presidency of George W. Bush began on his inauguration on January 20, 2001 as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
, with inputs from officials throughout the government." However, Petraeus declared in his testimony to Congress that "I wrote this testimony myself." He further elaborated that his testimony to Congress "has not been cleared by, nor shared with, anyone in the Pentagon, the White House, or Congress."
In his September Congressional testimony, Petraeus stated that "As a bottom line up front, the military objectives of the surge are, in large measure, being met." He cited numerous factors for this progress, to include the fact that Coalition and Iraqi Forces had dealt significant blows to Al-Qaeda Iraq and had disrupted Shia militias, that ethno-sectarian violence had been reduced, and that the tribal rejection of Al-Qaeda had spread from Anbar Province to numerous other locations across Iraq. Based on this progress and additional progress expected to be achieved, Petraeus recommended drawing down the surge forces from Iraq and gradually transitioning increased responsibilities to Iraqi Forces, as their capabilities and conditions on the ground permitted.
Democratic
Senate Majority LeaderThe Senate Majority and Minority Leaders are two United States Senators who are elected by the party conferences that hold the majority and the minority respectively. These leaders serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for their parties and manage and schedule the legislative and executive business...
Harry ReidHarry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party. He has been the Senate's Majority Leader since January 2007....
of
NevadaNevada is a state located in the western region of the United States. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. The state's nickname is Silver State, due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there...
argued Petraeus' "plan is just more of the same" and "is neither a drawdown or a change in mission that we need." Democratic Representative
Robert WexlerRobert Wexler is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida. He has served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1997, representing...
of
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
accused Petraeus of "cherry-picking statistics" and "massaging information". Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
Tom LantosThomas Peter Lantos was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until his death, representing the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and a portion of southwest San Francisco...
of
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
called the General and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
Ryan CrockerRyan Clark Crocker is a Career Ambassador within the United States Foreign Service and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was the United States Ambassador to Iraq until 2009; he previously served as the U.S...
"Two of our nation's most capable public servants" and said Democrats feel "esteem for their professionalism." He also said that "We can no longer take their assertions on Iraq at
face valueThe Face value is the value of a coin, stamp or paper money, as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself by the minting authority. While the face value usually refers to the true value of the coin, stamp or bill in question it can sometimes be largely symbolic, as is often the case with bullion...
"; concluding, "We need to get out of Iraq, for that country's sake as well as our own."
Republican Presidential candidate
Duncan HunterDuncan Lee Hunter is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the House of Representatives from California's 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981 to 2009....
called the report "a candid, independent assessment given with integrity". Republican Senator
Jon KylJon Llewellyn Kyl is the Republican junior U.S. Senator representing Arizona. He is currently the Senate Minority Whip, tasked with maintaining party discipline. Jon Kyl was born in the Midwest and moved to Arizona for College and Law School. He later got married and launched his career in Arizona...
of
ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
stated that "I commend General Petraeus for his honest and forthright assessment of the situation in Iraq." Anti-war Republican Senator
Chuck HagelCharles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002. On 10 February 2009, he was elected as Chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States, succeeding General James L...
of
NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
criticized the report while praising Petraeus, saying "It's not your fault, general... It's not Ambassador
CrockerRyan Clark Crocker is a Career Ambassador within the United States Foreign Service and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was the United States Ambassador to Iraq until 2009; he previously served as the U.S...
's fault. It's this administration's fault." A
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
/
Gallup pollThe Gallup Poll is the division of Gallup that regularly conducts public opinion polls in more than 140 countries around the world. Gallup Polls are often referenced in the mass media as a reliable and objective measure of public opinion...
taken after Petraeus' report to Congress showed virtually no change in public opinion toward the war. A
Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center is an American think tank organization based in Washington, D.C. that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends shaping the United States and the world. The Center and its projects receive funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts...
survey found that most Americans who have heard about the report approve of Petraeus' recommendations.
On September 20, the Senate passed an amendment by Republican John Cornyn III of
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
designed to "strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus". Cornyn drafted the amendment in response to a
controversial full-page adThe MoveOn.org ad controversy began when the anti-war liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org published a in The New York Times on September 10, 2007 accusing General David H. Petraeus of "cooking the books for the White House". The ad also labeled him "General Betray Us"...
by the liberal group Moveon.org in the September 10, 2007 edition of
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
. All forty-nine Republican Senators and twenty-two Democratic Senators voted in support. The House passed a similar resolution by a 341-79 vote on September 26.
In December 2007,
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
s
"Fact Checker" stated that "While some of Petraeus's statistics are open to challenge, his claims about a general reduction in violence have been borne out over subsequent months. It now looks as if Petraeus was broadly right on this issue at least".
Based on the conditions on the ground, in October 2007, Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
Ryan CrockerRyan Clark Crocker is a Career Ambassador within the United States Foreign Service and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was the United States Ambassador to Iraq until 2009; he previously served as the U.S...
revised their campaign plan for Iraq. In recognition of the progress made against Al Qaeda Iraq, one of the major points would be "shifting the U.S. military effort to focus more on countering
Shiite militiasPrivate militias in Iraq include those known from modern history such as the Mahdi Army, Al-Qaeda and Badr Organization as well as some that have emerged in the post-Saddam period such as the Facilities Protection Service...
".
Multi-National Force – Iraq (Spring 2008)
On February 18, 2008,
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
stated that "the U.S. effort has shown more success" and that, after the number of troops reached its peak in fall 2007, "U.S. deaths were at their lowest levels since the 2003 invasion, civilian casualties were down, and street life was resuming in Baghdad." In light of the significant reduction in violence and as the surge brigades began to redeploy without replacement, Petraeus characterized the progress as tenuous, fragile, and reversible and repeatedly reminded all involved that much work remains to be done. During an early February trip to Iraq, Defense Secretary
Robert GatesRobert Michael Gates is currently serving as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense. He took office on December 18, 2006. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W. Bush as Director of...
endorsed the idea of a period of consolidation and evaluation upon completion of the withdrawal of surge brigades from Iraq.
Petraeus and Crocker continued these themes at their two full days of testimony before Congress on April 8 and 9th. During his opening statement, Petraeus stated that "there has been significant but uneven security progress in Iraq," while also noting that "the situation in certain areas is still unsatisfactory and that innumerable challenges remain" and that "the progress made since last spring is fragile and reversible." He also recommended a continuation of the drawdown of surge forces as well as a 45-day period of consolidation and evaluation after the final surge brigade has redeployed in late July. Analysts for
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
and The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
stated that the hearings "lacked the suspense of last September's debate," but they did include sharp questioning as well as both skepticism and praise from various Congressional leaders.
In late May 2008, the Senate Armed Services Committee held nomination hearings for Petraeus and
Lieutenant General Ray OdiernoGeneral Raymond T. Odierno, USA, is the current Commanding General, Multi-National Force—Iraq . He assumed command on September 16, 2008. He previously served as Commanding General, III Corps, from May 2006 to May 2008...
to lead United States Central Command and Multi-National Force-Iraq, respectively. During the hearings, Committee Chairman
Carl LevinCarl Milton Levin is a Democratic United States Senator from Michigan and is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He has been in the Senate since 1979 and Michigan's senior senator since 1995...
praised these two men, stating that "we owe Gen. Petraeus and Gen. Odierno a debt of gratitude for the commitment, determination and strength that they brought to their areas of responsibility. And regardless of how long the administration may choose to remain engaged in the strife in that country, our troops are better off with the leadership these two distinguished soldiers provide." During his opening statement, Petraeus discussed four principles that would guide his efforts if confirmed as CENTCOM Commander: seeking to strengthen international partnerships; taking a "whole of government" approach; pursuing comprehensive efforts and solutions; and, finally, both supporting efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and ensuring readiness for possible contingency operations in the future. Petraeus also noted that during the week before his testimony, the number of security incidents in Iraq was the lowest in over four years. After Petraeus's returned to Baghdad, and despite the continued drawdown of surge forces as well as recent Iraqi-led operations in places like Basrah, Mosul, and Baghdad, the number of security incidents in Iraq remained at their lowest level in over four years.
Multi-National Force – Iraq (Summer and Fall 2008)
In September 2008, Petraeus gave an interview to
BBC NewsBBC News, formerly BBC News and Current Affairs, is the department within the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the corporation's news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online....
stating that he did not think using the term "victory" in describing the Iraq war was appropriate, saying "This is not the sort of struggle where you take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade... it's not war with a simple slogan."
Petraeus had discussed the term 'victory' before in March 2008, saying to NPR News that "an Iraq that is at peace with itself, at peace with its neighbors, that has a government that is representative of—and responsive to—its citizenry and is a contributing member of the global community" could arguably be called 'victory'. On the eve of his change of command, in September 2008, Petraeus stated that "I don't use terms like victory or defeat... I'm a realist, not an optimist or a pessimist. And the reality is that there has been significant progress but there are still serious challenges."
Change of Command
On September 16, 2008, Petraeus formally gave over his command in Iraq to General
Raymond T. OdiernoGeneral Raymond T. Odierno, USA, is the current Commanding General, Multi-National Force—Iraq . He assumed command on September 16, 2008. He previously served as Commanding General, III Corps, from May 2006 to May 2008...
in a government ceremony presided by Defense Secretary
Robert GatesRobert Michael Gates is currently serving as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense. He took office on December 18, 2006. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W. Bush as Director of...
. During the ceremony, Gates stated that Petraeus "played a historic role" and created the "translation of a great strategy into a great success in very difficult circumstances". Gates also told Petraeus he believed "history will regard you as one of our nation's greatest battle captains." He presented Petraeus with the
Defense Distinguished Service MedalThe Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States. The medal was created on July 9, 1970 by President Richard Nixon in .The decoration is...
. At the event, Petraeus mentioned the difficulty in getting the Sons of Iraq absorbed in the central Government of Iraq and warned about future consequences if the effort stalls. Indeed, when speaking of these and other challenges, Petraeus is the first to note that "the gains [achieved in Iraq] are tenuous and unlikely to survive without an American effort that outlasts his tenure." Even so, as Petraeus departed Iraq, it was clear to all that he was leaving a much different Iraq than the one that existed when he took command in February 2007. As described by Dexter Filkins, "violence has plummeted from its apocalyptic peaks, Iraqi leaders are asserting themselves, and streets that once seemed dead are flourishing with life." This is also illustrated by the Iraq Trends charts that the MNF-I produces weekly. The January 3, 2009, Iraq Trends Chart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Iraq_Trends_3_Jan_2009.pdf clearly depicts over time, the increases in incidents followed by the sharp decline as described by Dexter Filkens and others.
U.S. Central Command (Fall 2008 to present)
On October 31, 2008, Petraeus assumed command of the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Petraeus is now responsible for US operations in 20 countries spreading from Egypt to Pakistan–including Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Promotions
| Insignia | Rank | Date |
|---|
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GEN |
2007 |
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LTG |
2004 |
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MG |
2003 |
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BG |
2000 |
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COL |
1995 |
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LTC |
1991 |
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MAJ |
1985 |
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CPT |
1978 |
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1LT |
1976 |
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2LT |
1974 |
Prostate cancer
General Petraeus was diagnosed with early-stage
prostate cancerProstate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems...
in February 2009 and underwent two months of successful radiation treatment at
Walter Reed Army Medical CenterThe Walter Reed Army Medical Center is the United States Army's flagship medical center on the east coast of the United States. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it serves more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
. The diagnosis and treatment was not publicly disclosed until October 2009 because Petraeus and his family regarded his illness as a personal matter that did not interfere with the performance of his duties. However, President
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office, as well as the first president born in Hawaii...
and top members of his administration were informed.
Decorations and badges
| U.S. military decorations |
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| Defense Distinguished Service MedalThe Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States. The medal was created on July 9, 1970 by President Richard Nixon in .The decoration is...
(with Oak Leaf ClusterAn oak leaf cluster or oakleaves is a common device which is placed on U.S. military awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration...
) |
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| Distinguished Service MedalThe Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States of America military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of...
(with Oak Leaf Cluster) |
|
| Defense Superior Service MedalThe Defense Superior Service Medal of the United States is a senior decoration of the Department of Defense. It is awarded to members of the United States military who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
(with Oak Leaf Cluster) |
|
| Legion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued both to United States military personnel and to military and political figures...
(with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters) |
|
| Bronze StarThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. When awarded for bravery, it is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces and the ninth highest military award in the order...
(with V Device) |
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Defense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
|
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| Meritorious Service MedalThe Meritorious Service Medal is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969. Effective 11 September, 2001, this award also may...
(with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters) |
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Joint Service Commendation Medal |
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| Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters) |
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Joint Service Achievement Medal |
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Army Achievement Medal |
| U.S. unit awards |
|
| Joint Meritorious Unit AwardThe Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
(with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters) |
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Army Meritorious Unit CommendationThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
|
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Army Superior Unit Award |
| U.S. non-military decorations |
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State DepartmentThe United States Department of State, like other agencies of the U.S. federal government, gives civilian decorations for outstanding service, sacrifice, or heroism...
Secretary's Distinguished Service Award |
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State DepartmentThe United States Department of State, like other agencies of the U.S. federal government, gives civilian decorations for outstanding service, sacrifice, or heroism...
Superior Honor Award |
| U.S. service (campaign) medals and service and training ribbons |
|
| National Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
(with 2 Service StarsA service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service medals, ribbon...
) |
|
| Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
(with 2 Service Stars) |
|
| Iraq Campaign MedalThe Iraq Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on May 28, 2004. The Iraq Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
(with 2 Service Stars) |
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Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces medal created by a presidential order of George W. Bush on March 12, 2003, and established by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War...
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Global War on Terrorism Service MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
|
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Armed Forces Service MedalThe Armed Forces Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created on January 11, 1996 by President Bill Clinton under...
|
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Humanitarian Service MedalThe Humanitarian Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...
|
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Army Service RibbonThe Army Service Ribbon is a military decoration of the United States Army which was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981 as announced in Department of the Army General Order 15, dated 10 October 1990....
|
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| Army Overseas Service Ribbon (with award numeral 3) |
|
| U.S. badges, patches and tabs |
 |
Combat Action BadgeThe Combat Action Badge is a military badge worn in the U.S. Army. The emblem features both a M9 bayonet and M67 grenade. The Combat Action Badge may be awarded to any soldier after the date of September 18, 2001 performing duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is...
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Master Parachutist Badge (United States)The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" or "Snow Cone", is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces awarded to members of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy...
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Air Assault BadgeThe Air Assault Badge, pictured to the right, is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School, a two-week course. The course includes three phases of instruction involving U.S. Army rotary wing aircraft: combat air assault operations; rigging and slingload...
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Army Staff Identification BadgeThe Army Staff Identification Badge is a badge of the United States Army worn by personnel who serve at the Office of the Secretary of the Army and the Army Staff at Department of the Army Headquarters and its agencies. Neither an award or a decoration, the badge is a distinguishing emblem of...
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Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge The Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge is a U.S. Military badge presented to the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff upon appointment to position as either a Service Head, Vice Chairman, or Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The decoration is also authorized to staff and...
|
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U.S. Central Command Badge |
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Ranger TabThe Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long U.S. Army Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations....
|
| |
U.S. Central Command PatchThe United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. It was originally conceived of as the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force .Its area of responsibility is...
worn as his Current Unit of Assignment (left arm) Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (United States Army) |
 |
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) PatchThe 101st Airborne Division — the "Screaming Eagles"— is a U.S. Army modular infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for action during the Normandy Landings and in the Battle of the Bulge...
worn as his Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (United States Army) – Former War Time Service (SSI-FWTS). |
 |
8 Overseas Service Bar An Overseas Service Bar is a decoration of the United States Army which is displayed as an embroidered gold bar worn horizontally on the right sleeve of the U.S. Army Class A uniform...
s |
|
Foreign military decorations
- Gold Award of the Iraqi Order of the Date Palm
- French Military Campaign Medal
The French military campaign decoration or Médaille commémorative française is an award that is intended to distinguish the civilians and soldiers who took part in missions carried out outside of French national territory after March 1, 1991...
- Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic, First Class
Foreign civil decorations
French Officer Order of the Legion of Honor- Order of National Security Merit Tong-il Medal
The Order of National Security Merit is one of the Republic of Korea's Orders of Merit. It is conferred on individuals who have rendered distinguished service to national security, and is primarily a military award....
Non-U.S. service medals and ribbons
United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) MedalThe term United Nations Medal refers to one of several international decorations which are issued by the United Nations to the various militaries of the world for participation in joint international military and police operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief...
NATO Meritorious Service Medal
NATO MedalThe NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation . It is manufactured by Eekelers - Centini, International, of Hemiksem, Belgium...
for YugoslaviaYugoslavia is a term that describes three political entities that existed successively on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century.The first country to be known by this...
(with Service Star)
Foreign badges
- British Parachutist Badge
- French Parachutist Badge
- German Parachutist Badge
Publications
- Petraeus, David H. (1983). "What is Wrong with a Nuclear Freeze," Military Review v.63:49-64, November, 1983.
- Petraeus, David H. (1984). "Light Infantry in Europe: Strategic Flexibility and Conventional Deterrence," Military Review v.64:33-55, December, 1984.
- Petraeus, David H. (1986), "Lessons of history and lessons of Vietnam", Parameters (Carlisle, PA: US Army War College) 16(3): 43-53, Autumn 1986..
- Clark, Asa A., Kaufman, Daniel J., and Petraeus, David H. (1987). “Why an Army?” Army Magazine v38(2)26-34, February 1987.
- Petraeus, David H. (1987). “El Salvador and the Vietnam Analogy,” Armed Force Journal International, February 1987.
.
- Golden, James R.; Kaufman, Daniel J.; Clark, Asa A.; Petraeus, David H. (Eds)(1989),"NATO at Forty: Change Continuity, & Prospects". Westview Pr.
..
Speeches and public remarks
See also
- MoveOn.org ad controversy
The MoveOn.org ad controversy began when the anti-war liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org published a in The New York Times on September 10, 2007 accusing General David H. Petraeus of "cooking the books for the White House". The ad also labeled him "General Betray Us"...
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
- Initial Benchmark Assessment Report
- Report to Congress on the Situation in Iraq
This article is about the fall 2007 final report. For the earlier interim report made in summer 2007, see Initial Benchmark Assessment Report....
- Multi-National Force - Iraq
- Iraq War troop surge of 2007
In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....
External links
- Official Army biography
- Charlie Rose TV program: An hour with General David Petraeus Google Video of program taped 2007-04-26
- Profile by The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
- Graduate Alumni profile Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
- "In Company of Soldiers" (March 15, 2004) by Rick Atkinson
- "101st Airborne Scores Success in Reconstruction of Northern Iraq" (September 4, 2003) by Michael R. Gordon, The New York Times
- "The Story of O" (April 4, 2004) written by Christopher Dickey, The New York Times
- "An Open Mind For A New Army" (October 31, 2005) by Julian E. Barnes,U.S. News & World Report
- "Bush To Name A New General To Oversee Iraq" (January 5, 2006) by Michael R. Gordon, The New York Times
- "Our Man in Iraq" (October 26, 2006) by Wesley Morgan, The Daily Princetonian
- "FM 3-24 New Army/Marine Counterinsurgency Manual, (December, 2006), Forward written by LTG David Petraeus
- "Leader of the Fabled 101st to Command in Iraq" (January 5, 2007) by Tom Bowman, NPR
- "Iraq Will be Petraeus' Knot to Untie" (January 6, 2007) by Rick Atkinson, The Washington Post
- "Petraeus Takes Reins in Iraq" (January 10, 2007) by Wesley Morgan, The Daily Princetonian
- "Petraeus Faces Tough Road in Iraq (January 12, 2007) by Wesley Morgan, The Daily Princetonian
- "Petraeus on Vietnam's Legacy" (January 14, 2007) by Rachel Dry, The Washington Post—excerpts Petraeus' doctoral dissertation, "The American Military and the Lessons of Vietnam."
- "Senate confirms new top general for Iraq" (January 26, 2007) Associated Press, CNN
- "David and Goliath, and Petraeus" (January 28, 2007) by Steven Alvarez, The Orlando Sentinel
- "US Iraq chief warns of long war" (July 9, 2007) BBC News
- "Scions of the Surge" (March 24, 2008) Newsweek
- "Leader of the Year: Right Man, Right Time" by Lisa DePaulo
- "The Story of Power" by John Meacham
- "An Intellectual Surge" by James Crabtree.
- The Generals' Insurgency: The Story Behind the U.S. Troop Surge in Iraq. Washington Post.