General David Petraeus, Commander of the U.S Central Command, talks about the role of the military amongst the populations of the countries in which U.S troops are stationed. Petraeus says that troops must make sure the populations in areas where insurgents hide do not think the U.S military are against them but rather serving them, and that protection of the civilians must remain a priority, no matter what the conditions are like. (0:40)

 

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General David Petraeus, Commander of the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), explains that the U.S army has learnt not to simply clear an area off its insurgents and leave from its experience in Iraq. Petraeus says that the U.S army should instead leave only when the area is fully secured and hold as long as necessary, particularly in Afghanistan. (0:36)

 

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By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Correspondent Michael Ruhl’s investigative report into the recent pandemic of piracy off of the Horn of Africa. The report focuses on why the piracy is taking place and what can be done to stop it. It includes perspectives from Somali Ambassador-at-large Abdi Awallah Jama, George Mason University Political Science Professor Hazel McFerson, Maersk-Alabama Captain Richard Phillips, and CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus. (07:30)

 

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By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

General David Petraeus
Photo By Michael Ruhl

According to General David Petraeus, an educated American soldier that can bridge the cultural divide with the Muslim world can more effectively fight the War on Terror. This soldier would understand the social context they are operating within, and would understand the broad implications and consequences of military action.

General Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Central Command, discussed U.S. military strategy in the Middle East and South Asia while testifying today before Congress.

“While additional military forces clearly are necessary (in Afghanistan), they will not by themselves be sufficient to achieve our objective,” said the General. America’s objective, he said, is to make sure extremists do not have a haven from which to plan and execute another attack on the level of the 9-11 attacks.

A smarter military can better understand the necessary social infrastructure to facilitate lasting peace within a region. This combined with intelligent military action, international cooperation, the building of infrastructure and a swath of other initiatives will help America secure the region, according to Petraeus. “You cannot kill or capture your way out of an industrial strength insurgency,” the General said.

“We also need to expand just the basic knowledge of Afghanistan among our forces,” Petraeus said. He continued that greater knowledge will lead to a “nuanced and granular understanding” that will enable the Army to undertake the kind of sophisticated reconciliation processes in Afghanistan that were important in Iraq.

Congressman Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) agreed that soldiers should be educated, and brought attention to the U.S. Army’s Homestead Program. Dicks said this program involves an Officer taking a year off from active service to live in a country, learn the language, and understand the culture. Retired Army General John Abizaid did a program similar to this. Abizaid was former Commander of U.S. Central Command.

The U.S. Army could not be reached for comment on the current funding of the program, but Dicks expressed concern on the small number of individuals enrolled in it.

The necessary approach to success involves placing security in the hands of the Afghans, Petraeus said, which means helping them collectively realize that the biggest security threat in the region comes from dissident extremist elements within the country, most notably Al-Qaeda. He emphasized that America’s presence in Afghanistan is not permanent, and that Afghanistan’s government and economy must be encouraged by its citizens.

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

General David Petraeus says before Congress that it is important for soldiers to have an expanded understanding of Afghanistan, so that the army can function better as a whole. (01:18)

 

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Reporters are covering:

1. The House Appropriations Committee Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the base posture and supplemental request. Witness: Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command.

2.House Energy and Environment Subcommittee hearing on “The American Clean Energy Security Act of 2009, Day 4. Witnesses: Former Vice President Al Gore, former Sen. John Warner, (R-Va.), and others.

General David Petraeus, Commander of the United States Central Command, discusses Iran’s influence in Afghanistan and Pakistan. (0:14)

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The Washington Bureau will cover an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on “Accountability Lapses in Multiple Funds for Iraq,” a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Hearing on “Retail Price of Gas and Competition in the Oil Industry,” and a subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee on “The Border Security Challenge: Recent Developments and Legislative Proposals.” A correspondent will also cover a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on “Seniors at Risk: Improving Medicare for Our Most Vulnerable.” Later, the Washington Bureau will cover a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and House Financial Services Committee joint hearing on how the mortgage crisis afflicts neighborhoods, as well as a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on how to provide legal assistance to low-income Americans.

Pentagon Correspondent Meredith MacKenzie will attend a pen and pad briefing with the Senate Leadership, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), as well as a press conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Correspondent Dawn Jones will cover a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Gen. David Petraeus “for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the United States Central Command,” and Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno “for appointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq.”

White House Gaggle
By Ellen Ratner
Briefer: Dana Perino

The President’s Schedule
The president had his usual briefings.
At 11:30 a.m. he will make a statement on Iraq. In the morning he met with Gen. David Petraeus, commander of Multinational Forces Iraq and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. The president also met with the special envoy to Sudan.

This afternoon he will go to the ranch in Crawford, Texas. The White House announced that the president will make three commencement addresses this year. The first is May 4 at Greensburg High School in Greensburg Kansas, the second is May 29 at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the third will be May 31 Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.

The White House announced the summer schedule for tee ball on the White House lawn. There will be three games this summer: one in June with Hispanic Americans and others with members of the U.S. military.

The president also had a private meeting in the Oval Office and on the Truman balcony with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Juncker, but Perino said that would not discuss the content of the meeting.

On Iraq
Perino said that the cost of reconstruction is increasingly being picked up by Iraqis and that they have more resources available to them. A question arouse as to the timing of a dramatic pull out in Iraq as it relates to the U.S. presidential election. “From our perspective, politics will not enter into it,” Perino said.

She explained that the speech is going to focus on the recommendations from Gen. Petraeus. The president will speak about the planning reduction from 20 brigade combat teams to 15. The president will also announce his support for a 45 days of “consolidation and evaluation” before another draw down of forces is scheduled.

The president will also speak about the tours of duty for soldiers scheduled to deploy after August 1, 2008 will be 12 months in Iraq and a min of 12 months at home in the United States. Perino said “the troops will continue to come home,” but she said “some people” (implying the Congressional Democrats) want to “change the goal posts.”

(more…)

Explaining the recent attitude shift of Sunni Arabs in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, commander of Multinational Forces Iraq, talks about the tribes in Iraq comparing them to the television show “The Sopranos,” while testifying before the House Foreign Relations Committee (0:41)

 

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