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David Petraeus Quotes


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Quotes by David Petraeus

Showing 21-30 of 119 Quotes by David Petraeus

I've been in a position before where a president has turned to me in the Oval Office in a difficult moment, without any pleasantries, and said, 'I'm asking you as your president and Commander in Chief to take command of the international security force in Afghanistan.' The only response can be, 'Yes, Mr. President.'

~David Petraeus

Topics: Afghanistan Any Asking Been Before Chief Command Commander Difficult Force International Me Moment Office Only Oval Oval Office Position President Response Said Security Take Turned Where Without Yes You Your Mr

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I had the privilege of serving in uniform with British forces in Cold War Europe, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the greater Middle East.

~David Petraeus

Topics: Afghanistan Bosnia British Cold Cold War East Europe Forces Greater Had Iraq Middle Middle East Privilege Serving Uniform War

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There is no question that the Islamic State will be defeated in Mosul; the real question is what comes afterward. Can the post-Islamic State effort resolve the squabbling likely to arise over numerous issues and bring lasting stability to one of Iraq's most diverse and challenging provinces? Failure to do so could lead to ISIS 3.0.

~David Petraeus

Topics: Afterwards Arise Bring Challenging Could Defeated Diverse Effort Failure Iraq Islamic Issues Lasting Lead Likely Most No Question Numerous Over Provinces Question Real Resolve Stability State Will

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In the 101st Airborne Division headquarters in Mosul, we had a sign on the wall. It was a question that we would ask ourselves before every new operation or policy initiative. It asked: Will this policy or operation take more bad guys off the streets than it creates by its conduct?

~David Petraeus

Topics: Ask Asked Bad Bad Guys Before Conduct Creates Division Every Guys Had Headquarters Initiative More New Off Operation Ourselves Policy Question Sign Streets Take Than Wall Will Would

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The progress in Iraq is still fragile. And it could still be reversed. Iraq still faces innumerable challenges, and they will be evident during what will likely be a difficult process as the newly elected Council of Representatives selects the next prime minister, president, and speaker of the council.

~David Petraeus

Topics: Challenges Could Council Difficult Elected Evident Faces Fragile Iraq Likely Minister Newly Next President Prime Prime Minister Process Progress Representatives Reversed Speaker Still Will

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Well, the oil, the oil spot, if you will, is a, is a term in counterinsurgency literature that connotes a peaceful area, secure area. So what you're trying to do is to always extend that, to push that out.

~David Petraeus

Topics: Always Area Extend Literature Oil Out Peaceful Push Secure Spot Term Trying Well Will You

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But clearly, this is what this is about. It's about pushing the security bubble out. It's about rooting out every last guy, so that there's not even somebody who can fire a single, solitary RPG round from some little qalat out here.

~David Petraeus

Topics: About Bubble Clearly Even Every Fire Guy Here Last Little Out Out Here Pushing Rooting Round Security Single Solitary Some Somebody Who

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If you don't want to have to kill or capture every bad guy in the country, you have to reintegrate those who are willing to be reconciled and become part of the solution instead of a continued part of the problem. And then, above all, the resources.

~David Petraeus

Topics: Above Bad Bad Guy Become Capture Continue Country Every Guy Instead Part Problem Resources Solution Then Those Want Who Willing You

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President Obama has said that our aspirations should be realistic. We are not going to turn one of the poorest countries in the world, that was plunged into 30 years of war, into an advanced, industrialized, Western-style democracy. What we want to achieve is Afghanistan's capacity to secure and govern itself.

~David Petraeus

Topics: Achieve Advanced Afghanistan Aspirations Capacity Countries Democracy Going Govern Industrialized Itself Obama Our Poorest President President Obama Realistic Said Secure Should Turn Want War World Years

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The Germans have done wonderful work. Not long ago, a German battle group battalion conducted a very impressive counterinsurgency operation in a portion of Baghlan province. I think these are the first counterinsurgency operations conducted by any German element after World War II. And they did a very impressive job.

~David Petraeus

Topics: After Any Battalion Battle Did Done Element First German Germans Group Impressive Job Long Operation Operations Portion Province Think Very War Wonderful Work World World War World War Ii I Think

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Biography

Nationality: American

Type: Soldier

Born: November 7th, 1952

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