- go to the top
- About WN
- Contact
- Feedback
- Privacy Policy
- © 2011 World News Inc., all Rights Reserved
David Petraeus
Loading suggestions ...
-
Airborne (book)
Airborne (1997, ISBN 0425157709) is a book written by Tom Clancy that explores the inner workings of the 82nd Airborne Division and the U.S. airborne forces.
http://wn.com/Airborne_(book) -
Al Hillah
Al-Hillah (; BGN: Al Ḩillah; also spelled Hillah or Hilla) is a city in central Iraq on the Hilla branch of the Euphrates River, 100 km (62 miles) south of Baghdad. The population is estimated at 364,700 in 1998. It is the capital of Babil province and is located near the ancient cities of Babylon, Borsippa and Kish. It is situated in a predominantly agricultural region which is extensively irrigated with water provided by the Hilla canal, producing a wide range of cereals, fruit and textiles.
http://wn.com/Al_Hillah -
Ali A. Allawi
http://wn.com/Ali_A_Allawi -
Arab
http://wn.com/Arab -
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned after his election to the presidency in November 2008.
http://wn.com/Barack_Obama -
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin (born June 28, 1934) is a Democratic United States Senator from Michigan and is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. In the Senate since 1979, he has been Michigan's senior senator since 1995. He has served as a U.S. Senator longer than any Senator in Michigan history. He was elected to a sixth term in 2008, which will end in January 2015. He is the younger brother of U.S. Representative Sander M. Levin.
http://wn.com/Carl_Levin -
Carl Vuono
http://wn.com/Carl_Vuono -
Chuck Hagel
Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel (born October 4, 1946) 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. In 2009, he was elected as Chairman of the Atlantic Council.
http://wn.com/Chuck_Hagel -
Duncan Hunter
Duncan Lee Hunter (born May 31, 1948) 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.
http://wn.com/Duncan_Hunter -
Faisal Shahzad
Faisal Shahzad (Urdu: ; born , 1979) is a Pakistani American who attempted the May 1, 2010, Times Square car bombing. On , 2010, in Federal District Court in Manhattan he confessed to 10 counts arising from the bombing attempt. Throughout his court appearance, Shahzad was unrepentant, and the United States attorney indicated there was no plea deal, so Shahzad faced the maximum sentence, a mandatory life term.
http://wn.com/Faisal_Shahzad -
George C. Marshall
http://wn.com/George_C_Marshall -
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall (December 31, 1880 – October 16, 1959) 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 as the United States Army Chief of Staff during the war and as the chief military adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As Secretary of State, his name was given to the Marshall Plan, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
http://wn.com/George_Marshall -
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (; born July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut) was the 43rd President of the United States, serving from 2001 to 2009, and the 46th Governor of Texas, serving from 1995 to 2000.
http://wn.com/George_W_Bush -
George W. Casey, Jr.
George William Casey, Jr. (born July 22, 1948) is a United States Army general who is serving as the 36th and current Chief of Staff of the United States Army. He has served in the Army for his entire adult working life. Casey previously served as Commanding General, Multi-National Force - Iraq from June 2004 to February 8, 2007. He assumed his current assignment on April 10, 2007.
http://wn.com/George_W_Casey_Jr -
H.R. McMaster
http://wn.com/HR_McMaster -
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1986, he was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004, and is currently seeking a fifth term in 2010.
http://wn.com/Harry_Reid -
James Mattis
James N. Mattis is a United States Marine Corps general and the current commander of United States Central Command. Having replaced David Petraeus on August 11, 2010, he previously commanded United States Joint Forces Command and served concurrently as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation from November 9, 2007 to September 8, 2009. Prior to that, he commanded I Marine Expeditionary Force, United States Marine Forces Central Command, and 1st Marine Division during the Iraq War.
http://wn.com/James_Mattis -
John Cornyn III
http://wn.com/John_Cornyn_III -
Jon Kyl
:This page is about the current Arizona Senator; for his father, a U.S. Representative from Iowa, see John Kyl; for a U.S. Representative from Mississippi with a similar name, see John Kyle.
http://wn.com/Jon_Kyl -
L. Paul Bremer
Lewis Paul "Jerry" Bremer III (born September 30, 1941) is an American diplomat. He is most notable for being the U.S. Administrator to Iraq charged with overseeing that country's reconstruction after the 2003 invasion. In his role as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, he reported primarily to the U.S. Secretary of Defense and exercised authority over Iraq's civil administration. He served in this capacity from May 11, 2003, until limited Iraqi sovereignty was restored on June 28, 2004.
http://wn.com/L_Paul_Bremer -
Martin Dempsey
General Martin E. Dempsey, USA, is the current Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. He previously served as Acting Commander, U.S. Central Command from March 24, 2008 to October 30, 2008 and Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command from Aug 2007 to Mar 23, 2008. He also previously served as Commanding General, Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, the coalition command responsible for recruiting, training, and equipping the Iraqi Security Forces. MNSTC-I is the parent heaquarters of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT), the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team Team (CPATT), and the Coalition Air Force Training Team (CAFTT). Dempsey succeeded General David H. Petraeus who departed MNSTC-I to command the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth and later assumed command over United States Central Command on October 31, 2008. He assumed his current assignment on December 8, 2008.
http://wn.com/Martin_Dempsey -
Michael Morell
Michael Morell is the current Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In May 2010, Morell was sworn in as the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, succeeding Stephen Kappes.
http://wn.com/Michael_Morell -
Peter Galbraith
http://wn.com/Peter_Galbraith -
Raymond T. Odierno
Raymond T. Odierno (; born 1954) is a United States Army general who was the Commanding General, United States Forces - Iraq, a post he held until September 1, 2010. He assumed command of USF-I's predecessor, Multi-National Force - Iraq on September 16, 2008, succeeding General David Petraeus. He previously served as Commanding General, III Corps, from May 2006 to May 2008. General Odierno is known as the operational architect of the Iraq War troop surge of 2007 and is credited with implementing the counterinsurgency strategy that, along with the Sunni Awakening militia movement, led to the dramatic decrease in violence in Iraq from late 2006 to early 2008. The Weekly Standard has argued that his employment of forces to quell violence across Iraq "redefined the operational art of counterinsurgency". General Odierno is the twelfth American military officer to command at the Division, Corps, and Army level during the same conflict and only the second to have this honor since the Vietnam War.
http://wn.com/Raymond_T_Odierno -
Rick Atkinson
Rick Atkinson (born 1952, in Munich) is an American journalist and author whose contributions led to four Pulitzer Prizes.
http://wn.com/Rick_Atkinson -
Robert Gates
Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is the 22nd and current 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 Central Intelligence. Immediately after being recruited by the CIA, he served as an officer in the United States Air Force. After leaving the CIA, Gates became president of Texas A&M; University and was a member of several corporate boards. Gates also served as a member of the Iraq Study Group, the bipartisan commission co-chaired by James A. Baker III and Lee Hamilton, that has studied the Iraq War. He was also the first pick to serve as the first Director of National Intelligence (DNI), but he declined the appointment in order to remain President of Texas A&M; University.
http://wn.com/Robert_Gates -
Robert Wexler
Robert Wexler (born January 2, 1961) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida. He served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2010, representing . The district includes parts of Palm Beach County, as well as northern Broward County.
http://wn.com/Robert_Wexler -
Ryan Crocker
Ryan Clark Crocker (born June 19, 1949) 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. ambassador to Pakistan from 2004 to 2007, to Syria from 1998 to 2001, to Kuwait from 1994 to 1997, and to Lebanon from 1990 to 1993. In January 2010 he became Dean of Texas A&M; University's George Bush School of Government and Public Service.
http://wn.com/Ryan_Crocker -
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy Jr. (born April 12, 1947) is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, and several MTV videos and UFOs along with video games which he did not work on, but which bear his name for licensing and promotional purposes. His name is also a brand for similar movie scripts written by ghost writers and many series of non-fiction books on military subjects and merged biographies of key leaders. He is also part-owner and Vice Chairman of Community Activities and Public Affairs of the Baltimore Orioles, a Major League Baseball team.
http://wn.com/Tom_Clancy -
Tom Lantos
Thomas Peter Lantos (February 1, 1928 – February 11, 2008) 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. Lantos had announced in early January 2008 that he would not run for reelection because of cancer of the esophagus, but died before finishing his term. Lantos was the only Holocaust survivor to have served in the United States Congress.
http://wn.com/Tom_Lantos -
William A. Knowlton
General William Allen Knowlton (June 19, 1920 - August 10, 2008) was a United States Army four star general, and a former Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. As a full general, he served as Commander, Allied Land Forces South East Europe, and as the United States Military Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
http://wn.com/William_A_Knowlton -
William B. Caldwell
William B. Caldwell, IV is a United States Army Lieutenant General who is serving as the Commander, NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan, as well as, Commanding General, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.
http://wn.com/William_B_Caldwell -
William S. Wallace
William Scott Wallace, is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who served as Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Monroe, Virginia from September 5, 2005, to December 8, 2008. He retired from the Army on December 8, 2008.
http://wn.com/William_S_Wallace
-
Al Hillah
Al-Hillah (; BGN: Al Ḩillah; also spelled Hillah or Hilla) is a city in central Iraq on the Hilla branch of the Euphrates River, 100 km (62 miles) south of Baghdad. The population is estimated at 364,700 in 1998. It is the capital of Babil province and is located near the ancient cities of Babylon, Borsippa and Kish. It is situated in a predominantly agricultural region which is extensively irrigated with water provided by the Hilla canal, producing a wide range of cereals, fruit and textiles.
http://wn.com/Al_Hillah -
Baghdad
Baghdad (, , ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a population estimated between 7 and 7.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest city in the Arab World (after Cairo, Egypt).
http://wn.com/Baghdad -
Baqubah
Baqubah (; BGN: Ba‘qūbah; also spelled Baquba and Baqouba, all meaning "Jacob's house") is the capital of Iraq's Diyala Governorate.
http://wn.com/Baqubah -
Basrah
http://wn.com/Basrah -
Battle of 73 Easting
The Battle of 73 Easting was a decisive tank battle fought on 26 February 1991, during the Gulf War, between American-British armored forces and those of the Iraqi Republican Guard. The battle took place several hours after the Battle of Al Busayyah. It was named for a UTM north-south coordinate line (an "Easting", measured in kilometers and readable on GPS receivers) in the featureless desert that was used as a phase line to measure progress of the offensive.
http://wn.com/Battle_of_73_Easting -
Bayji
http://wn.com/Bayji -
California
California (pronounced ) is the most populous state in the United States and the third-largest by land area, after Alaska and Texas. California is also the most populous sub-national entity in North America. It's on the U.S. West Coast, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and by the states of Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, Baja California, Mexico, to the south. Its 5 largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, and Long Beach, with Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose each having at least 1 million residents. Like many populous states, California's capital, Sacramento is smaller than the state's largest city, Los Angeles. The state is home to the nation's 2nd- and 6th-largest census statistical areas and 8 of the nation's 50 most populous cities. California has a varied climate and geography and a multi-cultural population.
http://wn.com/California -
Carlisle, PA
http://wn.com/Carlisle_PA -
Egypt
Egypt (; , Miṣr, ; Egyptian Arabic: مصر, Maṣr, ; Coptic: , ; Greek: Αίγυπτος, Aiguptos; Egyptian:
http://wn.com/Egypt -
Florida
Florida () is a state of the United States. It is located in the Southeastern United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. Much of the state's land mass is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Caribbean to the south. Florida was admitted as the 27th U.S. state in 1845, after a three hundred year period of European colonization.
http://wn.com/Florida -
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas (just north of the city of Leavenworth) 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. Fort Leavenworth has been historically known as the "Intellectual Center of the Army."
http://wn.com/Fort_Leavenworth -
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army base located in Vernon Parish near Leesville, Louisiana.
http://wn.com/Fort_Polk -
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia () is a state located in the southeastern United States. Georgia was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788. It declared its secession from the Union on January 21, 1861, and was one of the original seven Confederate states. It was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870 and the only among the 13 that is explicitly named after a monarch; King George II of England.
http://wn.com/Georgia_(US_state) -
Haiti
Haiti (; French , ; Haitian Creole: Ayiti, ), officially the Republic of Haiti ( ;
http://wn.com/Haiti -
Iraq
Iraq ( or , Arabic: ), officially the Republic of Iraq (Arabic:
http://wn.com/Iraq -
Italy
Italy (; ), officially the Italian Republic (), is a country located in south-central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia along the Alps. To the south it consists of the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Sardinia — the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea — and many other smaller islands. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italy, whilst Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The territory of Italy covers some and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 60.4 million inhabitants, it is the sixth most populous country in Europe, and the twenty-third most populous in the world.
http://wn.com/Italy -
Kansas
Kansas () is a U.S. 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, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name (natively kką:ze) is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was probably not the term's original meaning. Residents of Kansas are called "Kansans."
http://wn.com/Kansas -
Karbala
:Note: When the word "Karbala" is used in the context of Muslim history or culture, it almost invariably refers to the events around the Battle of Karbala in which Husayn ibn ‘Alī was slain, not the city that stands there today.
http://wn.com/Karbala -
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky () is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth (the others being Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts). Originally a part of Virginia, in 1792 it became the 15th state to join the Union. Kentucky is the 37th largest state in terms of total area, the 36th largest in land area, and ranks 26th in population.
http://wn.com/Kentucky -
Kirkuk
Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Kurdish: Kerkûk/کهرکووک, , Turkish: Kerkük, ) is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.
http://wn.com/Kirkuk -
Kurds in Iraq
http://wn.com/Kurds_in_Iraq -
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait (, Dawlat al-Kuwayt) is a sovereign Arab nation situated in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, and Iraq to the north. It lies on the northwestern shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic "akwat", the plural of "kout", meaning fortress built near water. The emirate covers an area of 17,820 square kilometres (6,880 sq mi) and has a population of about 2.7 million.
http://wn.com/Kuwait -
Lexington, MA
http://wn.com/Lexington_MA -
Lexington, VA
http://wn.com/Lexington_VA -
Mosul
Mosul ( al-Mawṣil, Maṣlawī Arabic: al-Mōṣul, Assyrian: ܢܝܢܘܐ or Ninaweh, Kurdish: Mûsil/Nînewe, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 km (250 miles) northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial areas on both banks, with five bridges linking the two sides. Although for many years it was considered to be a Kurdish city, the majority of its population is now Arab and it does not form part of the area controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government. It is Iraq's second largest city after Baghdad.
http://wn.com/Mosul -
Najaf
Najaf (; BGN: An Najaf) is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate. It is one of the holiest cities of Shi'a Islam and the center of Shia political power in Iraq.
http://wn.com/Najaf -
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, music, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home to a large number of colleges and universities.
http://wn.com/Nashville_Tennessee -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO ( ; ), also called the "(North) Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The NATO headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, and the organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.
http://wn.com/NATO -
Nebraska
Nebraska () 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.
http://wn.com/Nebraska -
Netherlands
{{Infobox country
http://wn.com/Netherlands -
Nevada
Nevada is a state located in the western and southwestern region of the United States. Nevada is also part of the Mountain 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. "Sagebrush State" and "Battle Born State" are its alternative nicknames. In 1864, Nevada became the 36th state to enter the union, and the phrase "Battle Born" on the state flag reflects the state's entry on the Union side during the American Civil War. Its first nonnative settlement was called Mormon Station.
http://wn.com/Nevada -
New York
New York (; locally or ) is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border with Rhode Island east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Ontario to the north and west, and Quebec to the north. New York is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City.
http://wn.com/New_York -
Ninawa Governorate
Ninawa (; ; Aramaic: ܢܝܢܘܐ, Nīnwē) is a governorate (province) 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 provincial capital is Mosul, which lies across the Tigris river from the ruins of ancient Nineveh. Tal Afar is also a major city within the region. Prior to 1976, it was called Mosul Province and also included the present-day Dohuk Governorate.
http://wn.com/Ninawa_Governorate -
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution.
http://wn.com/Princeton_University -
Princeton, NJ
http://wn.com/Princeton_NJ -
Ramadi
Ramadi (; BGN: Ar Ramādī) is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.
http://wn.com/Ramadi -
Samarra
Sāmarrā () 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.
http://wn.com/Samarra -
Suffolk, VA
http://wn.com/Suffolk_VA -
Syria
Syria ( ; ' or '), 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.
http://wn.com/Syria -
Tal Afar
Tal Afar (pronounced /ta.la.fer/) (also '''Tal'Afar, Tal Afar, Tall Afar, Tell Afar, Tel Afar) (in Arabic: تلعفر or تل عفر, , in Turkish: Telafer''') 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.
http://wn.com/Tal_Afar -
Tampa
http://wn.com/Tampa -
Tennessee
Tennessee () is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,214,888, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area. Tennessee is bordered by Kentucky and Virginia to the north, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, and Arkansas and Missouri to the west. The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state, and the Mississippi River forms the state's western border. Tennessee's capital and second largest city is Nashville, which has a population of 626,144. Memphis is the state's largest city, with a population of 670,902. Nashville has the state's largest metropolitan area, at 1,521,437 people.
http://wn.com/Tennessee -
Texas
Texas () is the second-largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.
http://wn.com/Texas -
Tikrit
Tikrit (تكريت, Tikrīt also transliterated as Takrit or Tekrit) is a town in Iraq, located 140 km northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river (at 34.61°N, 43.68°E). The town, with an estimated population in 2002 of about 260,000 is the administrative center of the Salah ad Din Governorate .
http://wn.com/Tikrit -
United States
The United States of America (also referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific.
http://wn.com/United_States -
US State Department
http://wn.com/US_State_Department -
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern 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.
http://wn.com/Vicenza -
Vietnam
Vietnam ( ; , ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (, ), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by People's Republic of China (PRC) to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea, referred to as East Sea (), to the east. With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.
http://wn.com/Vietnam -
West Point
http://wn.com/West_Point -
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation (and a census-designated place) located north of the Village of Highland Falls in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. The United States Military Academy is located at West Point and has often been called "The Point."
http://wn.com/West_Point_New_York -
White House
The 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., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical style. It has been the residence of every U.S. President since John Adams. When Thomas Jefferson moved into the house in 1801, he (with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe) expanded the building outward, creating two colonnades that were meant to conceal stables and storage.
http://wn.com/White_House
- 2004 in Iraq
- 2005 in Iraq
- 4 star rank
- Afghan War Diary
- aide-de-camp
- Air Assault Badge
- Airborne (book)
- AK-47
- Al Hillah
- Ali A. Allawi
- Aljazeera
- Ambassador to Iraq
- Arab
- Arizona
- Arlington, VA
- Armoured warfare
- Army Service Ribbon
- assault rifle
- assault rifles
- Australian Army
- award numeral
- Bachelor of Science
- Baghdad
- Baqubah
- Barack Obama
- Basrah
- Battle of 73 Easting
- Bayji
- BBC News
- Bill Frist
- body armour
- Bronze Star Medal
- California
- Captain (U.S. Army)
- Carl Levin
- Carl Vuono
- Carlisle, PA
- catchphrase
- CENTCOM
- cherry-picking
- Chuck Hagel
- CIA
- COIN doctrine
- Combat Action Badge
- David Kilcullen
- Der Spiegel
- Deseret News
- Dickinson College
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Duncan Hunter
- Egypt
- Embedded journalist
- Esquire magazine
- face value
- Faisal Shahzad
- Fiasco
- first lieutenant
- Florida
- Fort Campbell
- Fort Leavenworth
- Fort Polk
- Fort Sill, OK
- Fort Stewart
- Fox News
- Fox News Channel
- Gallup poll
- General officer
- George C. Marshall
- George Marshall
- George W. Bush
- George W. Casey, Jr.
- Georgia (U.S. state)
- Government of Iraq
- Gulf War
- H.R. McMaster
- Haiti
- Harry Reid
- Henry Shelton
- Holocaust
- Intelligence
- Iraq
- Iraq Campaign Medal
- Iraq War
- Iraqi insurgency
- Italy
- James Mattis
- John Cornyn III
- John R. Allen
- Jon Kyl
- Journalism sourcing
- Kansas
- Karbala
- Kentucky
- King David
- Kirkuk
- Kurds in Iraq
- Kuwait
- L. Paul Bremer
- Legion of Honor
- Legion of Merit
- Lexington, MA
- Lexington, VA
- live-fire exercise
- Lockheed Martin
- Los Angeles Times
- M16 rifle
- Martin Dempsey
- Michael Morell
- Military helicopters
- Military Review
- Monica Crowley
- Morning Edition
- Mosul
- Moveon.org
- Najaf
- Nashville, Tennessee
- NATO
- NATO Medal
- Nebraska
- Netherlands
- Nevada
- New York
- New York Post
- New York Times
- Newsweek
- Ninawa Governorate
- NPR News
- Oak Leaf Cluster
- Order of Australia
- Overseas Service Bar
- Parade (magazine)
- Parameters (journal)
- Peach
- Peter Galbraith
- Pew Research Center
- Ph.D.
- Philip Klein
- Piscataway, NJ
- pistols
- Polish Army Medal
- political corruption
- Princeton University
- Princeton, NJ
- professionalism
- Prospect (magazine)
- prostate cancer
- public servants
- public works
- Pulitzer Prize
- PURL
- radiation treatment
- Ramadi
- Ranger School
- Ranger Tab
- Raymond T. Odierno
- reporter
- Rick Atkinson
- Robert Gates
- Robert Wexler
- Rolling Stone
- Ryan Crocker
- SAGE Publications
- Saint Anselm College
- Samarra
- Second lieutenant
- September 11 attacks
- Service star
- SFOR
- Sir Nick Parker
- skydiving
- Sons of Iraq
- Stabilisation Force
- Stanley McChrystal
- Stanley McCrystal
- Stryker
- Suffolk, VA
- summa cum laude
- Sunni
- Superior Honor Award
- Syria
- Tal Afar
- Tampa
- Tennessee
- Texas
- The Daily Telegraph
- The Guardian
- The Independent
- The New York Times
- The Oakland Tribune
- The Oprah Magazine
- the Pentagon
- The Star-Ledger
- The Washington Post
- Tikrit
- Time (magazine)
- Times-Herald Record
- Tom Clancy
- Tom Lantos
- troop surge
- U.S. Central Command
- U.S. Senate
- United Nations
- United Nations Medal
- United States
- United States Army
- United States House
- United States Senate
- University of Mosul
- US State Department
- USA Today
- Valor device
- Vicenza
- Vietnam
- Wall Street Journal
- Washington Post
- West Point
- West Point, New York
- White House
- Wikileaks
- William A. Knowlton
- William B. Caldwell
- William J. Lynn
- William S. Wallace
- XVIII Airborne Corps
- YouTube
Petraeus, David Filmography
- The Surge: The Whole Story (2009)
- (2008-04-09) (2008)
- (2008-04-11) (2008)
- (2008-04-08) (2008)
- (2008-07-08) (2008)
- (2008-04-14) (2008)
- (2007-02-10) (2007)
- (2008-09-09) (1996)
- (2007-12-14) (1996)
- (2007-12-17) (1996)
- (2007-12-19) (1996)
- (2007-12-20) (1996)
Send this Playlist by SMS
Email this Page
David Petraeus - Military Retirement Speech
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 25:35
- Published: 31 Aug 2011
- Uploaded: 02 Oct 2011
- Author: AmericanRhetoricOrig
General David Petraeus - Military Farewell Retirement Speech. Delivered 31 August 2011, Joint Base Meyer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. Complete text transcript and enhanced audio mp3 at: americanrhetoric.com
http://wn.com/David_Petraeus__Military_Retirement_Speech
General David Petraeus grilled on Afghan drawdown
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:14
- Published: 24 Jun 2011
- Uploaded: 02 Jan 2012
- Author: telegraphtv
The Nato commander in Afghanistan faces a Senate grilling on the military drawdown in Afghanistan at his confirmation hearing to become the next CIA director.
http://wn.com/General_David_Petraeus_grilled_on_Afghan_drawdown
General David Petraeus sworn in as new CIA director
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:10
- Published: 06 Sep 2011
- Uploaded: 14 Nov 2011
- Author: telegraphtv
US Vice President Joe Biden swears in the retired military commander as the new chief of the America's Central Intelligence Agency.
http://wn.com/General_David_Petraeus_sworn_in_as_new_CIA_director
GEN David Petraeus Interview
GEN David Petraeus, Commander of US Forces-Afghanistan and NATO's International Security Assistance Force, gives an exit interview with NATO TV about progress made over the past year and how the Afghan security forces responded to the attack on the Intercontinental Hotel. Check out more DoD videos at www.dodvclips.mil
http://wn.com/GEN_David_Petraeus_Interview
Charlie Rose - Gen. David Petraeus
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:47
- Published: 05 Mar 2010
- Uploaded: 27 Dec 2011
- Author: CharlieRose
Gen. David Petraeus, Commander, US Central Command www.charlierose.com
http://wn.com/Charlie_Rose__Gen_David_Petraeus
General David Petraeus: Our Hero
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:36
- Published: 01 Oct 2011
- Uploaded: 01 Dec 2011
- Author: GeopoliticsClub
Model of a soldier-scholar-statesman. One of the greatest people on the surface of the Earth
http://wn.com/General_David_Petraeus_Our_Hero
Full Gen. David H. Petraeus ISAF Change of Command Ceremony
This is the entire ceremony! KABUL, Afghanistan (July 18, 2011) -- US Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from US Army Gen. David H. Petraeus at a change of command ceremony today, attended by senior Afghan and NATO officials, including German Army Gen. Wolf Langheld, Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum; Adm. Mike Mullen, US Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff; and Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, Commander, US Central Command.
http://wn.com/Full_Gen_David_H_Petraeus_ISAF_Change_of_Command_Ceremony
GEN David Petraeus retiring from Army and taking charge of CIA!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 11:13
- Published: 30 Aug 2011
- Uploaded: 17 Dec 2011
- Author: armyveteran101st
My thoughts about General David Petraeus's retirement from the Army, his achievements, and his move to the Central Intelligence Agency. I was honored to meet this great man during my time in the Army, and I am grateful for his exemplary service!
http://wn.com/GEN_David_Petraeus_retiring_from_Army_and_taking_charge_of_CIA!
Gen. David Petraeus Retirement Ceremony (COMPLETE CEREMONY!)
Video of the Gen. David Petraeus retirement ceremony held at Fort Myer Va. This is the complete ceremony including all the speeches and the Drill and Ceremony presentations. It is very long, but very nice to listen to all the great things thi sman has done in his years of military service to the country.
http://wn.com/Gen_David_Petraeus_Retirement_Ceremony_COMPLETE_CEREMONY!
A Conversation with Gen. David Petraeus
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 88:52
- Published: 03 Mar 2010
- Uploaded: 13 Dec 2011
- Author: VanderbiltUniversity
Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of US Central Command, engaged in an open dialogue at Vanderbilt University March 1, 2010, about his actions as commander of the surge in Iraq and the role of US forces overseas. The event was a conversation between Petraeus and Mike Newton, Vanderbilt professor of the practice of law. Newton is a West Point graduate who is an international legal adviser to the Iraqis and was one of the small team of international experts who taught them international criminal law and assisted with the trials. The conversation was sponsored by the International Legal Studies Program and the College of Arts and Science.
http://wn.com/A_Conversation_with_Gen_David_Petraeus
US Army 4**** General David Petraeus (CIA Chief) - Interview on Afghanistan Troops Exit 07 2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:28
- Published: 06 Aug 2011
- Uploaded: 30 Dec 2011
- Author: DerReichsmarschall
US Army 4 **** General David Dave Petraeus (designated Chief of CIA) interviewed by an infamous German tv journalist and reporter. The location is the world known Potsdamer Platz - Potsdam Plaza - at the junction of Bellevuestraße - Bellevue Street - and Ebertstraße - named after first republican Reichspräsident - President of the Reich - Friedrich Ebert after the Great War. In the background you can see the Berlin Ritz Carlton Hotel at the Chicago-esque looking (Otto) Beisheim Center.
http://wn.com/US_Army_4****_General_David_Petraeus_CIA_Chief__Interview_on_Afghanistan_Troops_Exit_07_2011
General David Petraeus takes ill during his testimony
From C-SPAN coverage of the Senate Armed Services Committee, General David Petraeus takes ill while giving testimony.
http://wn.com/General_David_Petraeus_takes_ill_during_his_testimony
Petraeus Named As New CIA Director
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:17
- Published: 06 Sep 2011
- Uploaded: 02 Oct 2011
- Author: PowerinNumbers2012
Vice President Joe Biden swears in retired US Army Gen. David Petraeus as the new director of the CIA.
http://wn.com/Petraeus_Named_As_New_CIA_Director
Petraeus attends Sovereign's Parade 16.12.11
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:59
- Published: 19 Dec 2011
- Uploaded: 27 Dec 2011
- Author: BritishForcesNews
The Director of the CIA and former commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan represented the Queen at the Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst today. General David Petraeus saw 252 officer cadets passing out at the Royal Military Academy after completing 44 weeks of intensive training. Among those passing out were 22 overseas cadets.
http://wn.com/Petraeus_attends_Sovereign's_Parade_161211
Petraeus Leaving Army, Headed to CIA
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:28
- Published: 31 Aug 2011
- Uploaded: 22 Dec 2011
- Author: AssociatedPress
Gen. David Petraeus bids farewell to the Army that has been his life and the troops that have been his family for 37 years. He'll start as CIA director next week. (Aug. 31)
http://wn.com/Petraeus_Leaving_Army,_Headed_to_CIA
'Petraeus covered Afghan disaster, will spin CIA terrible image'
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:10
- Published: 07 Sep 2011
- Uploaded: 24 Dec 2011
- Author: RussiaToday
The man who headed up America's moves in Iraq and Afghanistan is now top dog at the CIA. General David Petraeus spent 37 years as a soldier - but is now at the Pentagon after President Obama's national security reshuffle. His predecessor - Leon Panetta - is now Defense Secretary. For more reaction to these military musical chairs, RT talks to retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski. RT on Twitter: twitter.com RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com
http://wn.com/'Petraeus_covered_Afghan_disaster,_will_spin_CIA_terrible_image'
General David Petraeus hands over ISAF-command in Afghanistan - Press TV News
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:19
- Published: 19 Jul 2011
- Uploaded: 19 Jul 2011
- Author: presstvmobile
Automatically uploaded video [VIDEO] General David Petraeus hands over ISAF-command in Afghanistan Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:29:19 Url: "presstvmobile.com #presstv #presstvandroid #presstviphone #presstvglobalnews #presstvmobile
http://wn.com/General_David_Petraeus_hands_over_ISAF-command_in_Afghanistan__Press_TV_News
ISAF Commander, Gen. David Petraeus, Visits Pakistan Border
of how Gen. David Petraeus is the Commander of all US Forces in Afghanistan and International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF. He's ultimately responsible to ensure unity of purpose as ISAF seeks to secure Afghanistan for a better future. Marine Cpl. Nate Carberry tells us about Gen. Petraeus' recent visit to US and Afghan Troops providing security on the Pakistan border. Sound bites include Gen. David Petraeus - International Security Assistance Force Commander and Col. James Edwards - 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade Commander. Produced by Marine Cpl. Nate Carberry. In High Definition. Take a look at over 3000+ other videos on this channel! Find us on FaceBook at "military videos" and Twitter at "3rdID8487".
http://wn.com/ISAF_Commander,_Gen_David_Petraeus,_Visits_Pakistan_Border
King David Petraeus
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:16
- Published: 04 Feb 2011
- Uploaded: 23 Dec 2011
- Author: TheAlyonaShow
Fear mongering is being spread by FOX News, more conservative voices speak out against Democracy in Egypt and Hosni Mubarak said in an interview with Christiane Rolling Stone has done a profile on General David Petraeus titled "King David's War" portraying a man who does whatever it takes, to make things go his way. Nearly 10 years into this war how long can Petraeus manipulate the situation, and keep it going, before the veil is finally lifted? Robert Farley Blogger at Lawyers, Guns & Money weighs in.
http://wn.com/King_David_Petraeus
Petraeus quits Afghan command for CIA top job
US General David Petraeus handed over command of NATO forces in Afghanistan on Monday. The 58-year-old is leaving to become the new director of the CIA. Petraeus took up the post last July after his predecessor, Stanley McChrystal, had to quit after he criticised several top US officials in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Petraeus, who oversaw the troop surge in Afghanistan, will be replaced by US Marine Corps General John Allen. ... www.euronews.net
http://wn.com/Petraeus_quits_Afghan_command_for_CIA_top_job
Dick Morris is so silly, isn't that right Mr. Ron Paul Supporter? LOL
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:48
- Published: 23 Nov 2011
- Uploaded: 25 Nov 2011
- Author: DrWrongPaul
General David Petraeus does not support ron paul, SO MUCH FOR YOUR GOD DAMN DONATIONS !!! RON PAUL is so Strong, he can't even beat Mitt Romney 2012 !!!! • Ron Paul has always been consistent about being wrong. • Ron Paul is always been a practitioner that if you leave your enemies alone they will not attack you. • Islam's goals is to convert the world regardless of how long you have been a country. Ron Paul supporters ignore this fact or they are simply too naïve to understand it. • Ron Paul supporters accuse normal people of being media ignorant, when it is they themselves that define the meaning. • Ron Paul supporters do indeed want to change the world just like Obama did, however their goals bring us closer to the secular left, and the world that embraces complete heathenism.
http://wn.com/Dick_Morris_is_so_silly,_isn't_that_right_Mr_Ron_Paul_Supporter?_LOL
Gen. David Petraeus on Smart Power
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:12
- Published: 02 Jun 2011
- Uploaded: 11 Jul 2011
- Author: Veterans4SmartPower
Head of US Central Command General David Petraeus spoke to a packed audience of over 600 people on the vital role civilian tools play in 21st century US national security. The event was hosted by the USGLC and the Tampa Bay Council on World Affairs on Wednesday, February 3, 2010.
http://wn.com/Gen_David_Petraeus_on_Smart_Power
Gen. Petraeus on operational energy
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:40
- Published: 20 Jul 2011
- Uploaded: 01 Jan 2012
- Author: soldiersmediacenter
Gen. David Petraeus, commander, NATO International Security Forces and US Forces in Afghanistan, talks about the critical energy of operational energy. www.army.mil
http://wn.com/Gen_Petraeus_on_operational_energy
photo: USAF / Staff Sgt. Bradley Lail
29 Dec 2011
WASHINGTON — Four-star general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus almost resigned as Afghanistan war commander over President Barack Obama's decision to quickly draw down surge forces, according...
size: 6.4Kb
size: 6.4Kb
photo: US Army / 2nd Lt. Devin Osburn
25 Dec 2011
The United States is mulling a far more subdued role in Iraq after pulling its troops out, and has no intention to send its forces back in despite a spike in violence, The New York Times reported on...
size: 13.5Kb
size: 13.5Kb
Most Popular
-
Obama reveals plan for lean military
Independent online (SA)
-
Air strikes and the decline of western prestige
Al Jazeera
-
Iran nuclear crisis: EU moves towards crude oil ban
Joy Online
-
Media AWOL in exposing ineptitude of the Iraq War
The Charlotte Observer
-
Iraq blasts kill 70 in second onslaught since US pull-out
Irish Times
RELATED LINKS
- 2003 in Iraq
- 2004 in Iraq
- 2005 in Iraq
- 4 star rank
- Afghan War Diary
- aide-de-camp
- Air Assault Badge
- Airborne (book)
- AK-47
- Al Hillah
- Ali A. Allawi
- Aljazeera
- Ambassador to Iraq
- Arab
- Arizona
- Arlington, VA
- Armoured warfare
- Army Service Ribbon
- assault rifle
- assault rifles
- Australian Army
- award numeral
- Bachelor of Science
- Baghdad
- Baqubah
- Barack Obama
- Basrah
- Battle of 73 Easting
- Bayji
- BBC News
- Bill Frist
- body armour
- Bronze Star Medal
- California
- Captain (U.S. Army)
- Carl Levin
- Carl Vuono
- Carlisle, PA
- catchphrase
- CENTCOM
- cherry-picking
- Chuck Hagel
- CIA
- COIN doctrine
- Combat Action Badge
- David Kilcullen
- Der Spiegel
- Deseret News
- Dickinson College
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Duncan Hunter
- Egypt
- Embedded journalist
- Esquire magazine
- face value
- Faisal Shahzad
- Fiasco
- first lieutenant
- Florida
- Fort Campbell
Boston Herald
WASHINGTON — Four-star general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus almost resigned as Afghanistan war commander over President Barack Obama’s decision to quickly draw down surge forces, according to a new insider’s look at Petraeus’ 37-year Army career. Petraeus decided that...
size: 4.5Kb
size: 4.5Kb
The Education of General David Petraeus
22 Dec 2011
The Times of India
WASHINGTON: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the "greatest" concentration of talent and capabilities that the US has, the spy agency's director, David Petraeus has said. Petraeus said this...
size: 1.3Kb
size: 1.3Kb
David Petraeus takes over as CIA chief
06 Sep 2011
DNA India
David Petraeus, considered to be one of the best war-time generals and who till recently was commander of US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan, was today sworn in as the chief of the CIA. Petraeus, 58, who succeeds Leon Panetta, now the defence secretary hung up his army...
size: 1.8Kb
size: 1.8Kb
David Petraeus sworn in as new CIA chief
06 Sep 2011
The Star
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newly retired General David Petraeus was sworn in as CIA director on Tuesday, taking over at a time when the line between the U.S. spy agency and the military has become increasingly blurred in the fight against Islamist militancy. Petraeus, who in a storied 37-year Army...
size: 1.9Kb
size: 1.9Kb
Former U.S. General David Petraeus who 'set gold standard for wartime command' during Iraq conflict ...
06 Sep 2011
The Daily Mail
David Petraeus, the retired U.S. commander who directed American strategy in the Afghan and Iraq wars, is to be appointed the head of the CIA. Former general Petraeus will be sworn in as the 20th director of the U.S. spy agency following a 37-year career in the army. The well-connected 58-year-old...
size: 7.2Kb
size: 7.2Kb
US General David Petraeus demands more money for the Long War and Global Corporate Empire
01 Sep 2011
Axis of Logic
Axis of Logic introduces this article with 2 photos and related comments. The article was published August 31, 2011 by Radio Free Europe, a U.S. government-controlled media, founded in New York in 1950, "with a broadcast to communist Czechoslovakia from a studio in New York City." Within the Bush...
size: 3.7Kb
size: 3.7Kb
Syracuse
ThatGuy August 31, 2011 at 9:16AM Follow So the old guy is finally mustering out? I guess he's retiring with an honorable discharge? At least he won't have to put all that junk on his shoulder's and chest any more --- normal black suits now. Which will be bigger --...
size: 1.8Kb
size: 1.8Kb
VIDEO: Gen. David Petraeus exit interview
19 Aug 2011
David Howell Petraeus (; born November 7, 1952) is the designate Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and former United States Army four-star general. Petraeus last served as the Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) from July 4, 2010 to July 18, 2011. His other four-star assignments include serving as the 10th Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) from October 13, 2008, to June 30, 2010, and as Commanding General, Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) from February 10, 2007, to September 16, 2008. As commander of MNF-I, Petraeus oversaw all coalition forces in Iraq. He was confirmed by the Senate on June 30, 2010, and took over command from temporary commander Lieutenant-General Sir Nick Parker on July 4, 2010 until being relieved by Marine General John R. Allen.
Petraeus has a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy from which he graduated in 1974 as a distinguished cadet (top 5% of his class). He was the General George C. Marshall Award winner as the top graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College class of 1983. He subsequently earned an M.P.A. in 1985 and a Ph.D. in International Relations in 1987 from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He later served as Assistant Professor of International Relations at the United States Military Academy and also completed a fellowship at Georgetown University.
Some news reports have speculated that Petraeus may have interest in running for the presidency, especially after he visited a school known for hosting the presidential debates, New Hampshire's Saint Anselm College. Petraeus lives in New Hampshire. Despite these accounts, Petraeus has categorically asserted that he has no political ambitions. On June 23, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Petraeus to succeed General Stanley McChrystal as commanding general of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, technically a step down from his position as Commander of United States Central Command, which oversees the military efforts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Egypt.
On June 30, 2011, Petraeus was unanimously confirmed as the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency by the US Senate 94-0. Petraeus relinquished command of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on July 18, and retired from the U.S. Army on August 31.
Personal life
Petraeus was born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, the son of Miriam (née Howell), a librarian, and Sixtus Petraeus, a sea captain. His mother was American and his father had immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands during the initial phase of World War II. Sixtus settled in Cornwall-on-Hudson, where David Petraeus grew up and graduated from Cornwall Central High School in 1970. Residents called him 'Peaches' in reference to his often-mispronounced last name and the nickname stuck with him as a cadet.Petraeus then went on to the United States Military Academy at West Point. 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 of Dickinson College and daughter of Army General William A. Knowlton, who was superintendent of West Point at the time. Holly, who is multi-lingual, was a National Merit Scholar in high school, and graduated summa cum laude from Dickinson College. They have a daughter and son, Anne and Stephen. Petraeus administered the oath of office at his son's 2009 commissioning into the Army after graduating from MIT.
Petraeus's official domicile in the United States is a rustic property in the small community of Springfield, New Hampshire, which his wife inherited from her family.
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 College Class of 1983 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He subsequently earned an M.P.A. in 1985 and a Ph.D. in international relations in 1987 from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, then served as an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the U.S. Military Academy from 1985 to 1987. His doctoral dissertation was entitled "The American Military and the Lessons of Vietnam: A Study of Military Influence and the Use of Force in the Post-Vietnam Era". He also completed a military fellowship at Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service 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 Leavenworth, Kansas, and the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (CAC) located there. As commander of CAC, Petraeus was responsible for oversight of the Command and General Staff College 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. Mattis jointly oversaw the publication of Field Manual 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.
Military operations
1970s
Upon his graduation from West Point in 1974, Petraeus was commissioned an infantry officer. After completing Ranger School (Distinguished Honor Graduate and other honors), Petraeus was assigned to the 509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team, a light infantry unit in Vicenza, Italy. Ever since, light infantry has been at the core of his career, punctuated by assignments to mechanized units, 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 Stewart, Georgia. In 1979, he assumed command of a company in the same division: ALPHA Company, 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) and its 1st Brigade.
1980s
In 1981, Petraeus became aide-de-camp 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, attending the Command and General Staff College. At graduation in 1983, he was the General George C. Marshall Award winner as the top graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. From 1983-85 he was 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 Europe. 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 colonel, Petraeus moved from the office of the Chief of Staff to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, 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; in 1991 he was accidentally shot in the chest with an M-16 assault rifle during a live-fire exercise when a soldier tripped and his rifle discharged. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, where he was operated on by future U.S. Senator Bill Frist. 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 Nations Mission in Haiti Military Staff as its Chief Operations Officer during Operation Uphold Democracy. His next command, from 1995–97, was the 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, centered on the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. At that post, his brigade's training cycle at Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training Center for low-intensity warfare was chronicled by novelist and military enthusiast Tom Clancy in his book Airborne. 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 general, 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 Kuwait as part of Operation Desert Spring, the continuous rotation of combat forces through Kuwait during the decade after the Gulf War.
2000s
From the 82nd, he moved on to serve as Chief of Staff of XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg 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 General in 2001. During 2001–2002, as a brigadier general, Petraeus served a ten-month tour in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of Operation Joint Forge. In Bosnia, he was the NATO Stabilization Force 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. He was confirmed by the Senate on June 30, 2010, and took over command from temporary commander Lieutenant-General Sir Nick Parker on July 4, 2010.
Involvement in the Iraq War
101st Airborne Division
In 2003, Petraeus, then a Major General, saw combat for the first time when he commanded the 101st Airborne Division during V Corps's drive to Baghdad. In a campaign chronicled in detail by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson of The Washington Post in the book In the Company of Soldiers, Petraeus led his division through fierce fighting south of Baghdad, in Karbala, Hilla and Najaf. Following the fall of Baghdad, the division conducted the longest heliborne assault on record in order to reach Ninawa Province, where it would spend much of 2003. The 1st Brigade was responsible for the area south of Mosul, the 2nd Brigade for the city itself, and the 3rd Brigade for the region stretching toward the Syrian border. An often-repeated story of Petraeus's time with the 101st is his asking of embedded Washington Post reporter Rick Atkinson 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 Baghdad.
In Mosul, 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 works, reinvigorating the political process, and launching 4,500 reconstruction projects in Iraq. This approach can be attributed to Petraeus, who had been steeped in nation-building during his previous tours in nations such as 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 Times. Some Iraqis gave Petraeus the nickname 'King David,' which was later adopted by some of his colleagues. Newsweek 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 works was the restoration and re-opening of the University of Mosul. Petraeus strongly supported the use of commanders' discretionary funds for public works, telling Coalition Provisional Authority director L. Paul Bremer "Money is ammunition" during the director's first visit to Mosul. 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 I Corps headquarters, but operational forces consisted solely of a unit roughly one quarter its size—a Stryker 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 Arab 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 Guardian quoted an anonymous US diplomat saying "Mosul basically collapsed after he [Petraeus] left". Former diplomat Peter Galbraith criticized Petraeus' command of the 101st, saying his achievements have been exaggerated and his reputation is inflated. He wrote for The New York Review of Books 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." Time columnist Joe Klein largely agreed with Ricks, writing that the Stryker 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 Post 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 embezzle most, if not all, of the procurement budget of the army." The Washington Post stated in August 2007 that the Pentagon 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 2004 to 2005, 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-47 assault rifles and pistols were delivered to Iraqi forces without full documentation, and some of the missing weapons may have been abducted by Iraqi insurgents. Thousands of body armour pieces have also been lost. The Independent'' 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. Bush announced that Petraeus would succeed Gen. George Casey as commanding general of MNF-I to lead all U.S. troops in Iraq. On January 23, the Senate Armed Services Committee held Petraeus' nomination hearing, during which he testified on his ideas for Iraq, particularly the strategy underpinning the "surge" 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' tenure in Iraq, Multi-National Force-Iraq endeavored to work with the Government of Iraq 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 Easting in the Gulf War and in the pacification of Tal Afar more recently, as well as for his doctoral dissertation on Vietnam-era civil-military relations entitled Dereliction of Duty. While most of Petraeus's closest advisers are American military officers, he also hired Lt. Col. David Kilcullen of the Australian Army, who was working for the US State Department. Kilcullen upon his return from Iraq published The Accidental Guerrilla, and has discussed the central front of the war and lessons learned in Iraq in 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 Baghdad, Tikrit, Baquba, Ramadi, Mosul, Kirkuk, Bayji, Samarra, 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 Crocker, 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 Reid. 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 Crowley 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 House 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 Iraq was delivered to Congress on September 10, 2007.On August 15, 2007, The Los Angeles Times stated that, according to unnamed administration officials, the report "would actually be written by the White House, 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 Leader Harry Reid of Nevada 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 Wexler of Florida accused Petraeus of "cherry-picking statistics" and "massaging information". Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Lantos of California called the General and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker "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 value"; concluding, "We need to get out of Iraq, for that country's sake as well as our own."
Republican Presidential candidate Duncan Hunter called the report "a candid, independent assessment given with integrity". Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona stated that "I commend General Petraeus for his honest and forthright assessment of the situation in Iraq." Anti-war Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska criticized the report while praising Petraeus, saying "It's not your fault, general... It's not Ambassador Crocker's fault. It's this administration's fault." A USA Today/Gallup poll taken after Petraeus' report to Congress showed virtually no change in public opinion toward the war. A Pew Research Center 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 Texas 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 ad by the liberal group Moveon.org in the September 10, 2007, edition of The New York Times. 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 Post'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 Crocker 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 militias".
Multi-National Force – Iraq (spring 2008)
On February 18, 2008, USA Today 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 Gates 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 Today and The New York Times 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 Odierno to lead United States Central Command and Multi-National Force-Iraq, respectively. During the hearings, Committee Chairman Carl Levin 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 News 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. Odierno in a government ceremony presided by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. 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 Medal. 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" clearly depicts over time, the increases in incidents followed by the sharp decline as described by Dexter Filkens and others.
General Petraeus's critical role in Iraq is widely acknowledged. In her introduction of Petraeus at the Baccalaureate ceremony for the Class of 2009, Princeton University President Shirley Tilghman described his accomplishments. While acknowledging that much remains to be accomplished in Iraq, Tilghman paid tribute to Petraeus' "leadership in rethinking American military strategy through his principles of counterinsurgency," which are, she said, "eliminating 'simplistic definitions of victory and defeat in favor of incremental and nuanced progress'."
U.S. Central Command (fall 2008 to summer 2010)
On October 31, 2008, Petraeus assumed command of the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Petraeus was responsible for U.S. operations in 20 countries spreading from Egypt to Pakistan—including Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. During his time at CENTCOM, Petraeus advocated that countering the terrorist threats in the CENTCOM region requires more than just counter-terrorism forces, demanding instead whole-of-governments, comprehensive approaches akin to those of counterinsurgency. Petraeus reiterated this view in a 2009 interview published in Parade magazine. In a recent interview for Newsweek magazine’s "Interview Issue: The View From People Who Make a Difference", Petraeus expressed his support for President Obama’s announced Afghanistan strategy and discussed his view that reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan should for the time being occur "at the lower and midlevels".In mid-August, 2009, Petraeus established the Afghanistan-Pakistan Center of Excellence within the USCENTCOM Directorate of Intelligence to provide leadership to coordinate, integrate and focus analysis efforts in support of operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
On March 16, 2010, testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Petraeus described the continuing Israeli–Palestinian conflict as a challenge to U.S. interests in the region. According to the testimony, the conflict was "fomenting anti-American sentiment" due to "a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel." This was widely commented on in the media. When questioned by journalist Philip Klein, Petraeus said the original reporter "picked apart" and "spun" his speech. He believes there are many important factors standing in the way of peace, including “a whole bunch of extremist organizations, some of which by the way deny Israel’s right to exist. There’s a country that has a nuclear program who denies that the Holocaust took place. So again we have all these factors in there. This [Israel] is just one."
In March 2010, Petraeus visited the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College to speak about Iraq and Afghanistan. Petraeus spoke a few days after the seventh anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, noting the successful changes in Iraq since the U.S. troop surge. The visit to Saint Anselm created rumors that Petraeus was contemplating a run for the Presidency; however, he denied the speculation saying that he was not aware that the college has been the site of numerous presidential debates.
Toward the close of his tenure as CENTCOM Commander, including in his interview published in Vanity Fair, Petraeus discussed the effort to determine and send to Afghanistan the right “inputs” for success there; these inputs include several structures and organizations that proved important in Iraq, including “an engagement cell to support reconciliation…a finance cell to go after financing of the enemy…[a] really robust detainee-operations task force, a rule-of-law task force, an energy-fusion cell—all these other sort of nonstandard missions that are very important.”
On May 7, 2010, Petraeus announced that Times Square bombing suspect, Faisal Shahzad, is a "lone wolf" terrorist who did not work with others. On May 10, 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder said that the evidence shows the Pakistani Taliban directed this plot.
Commander of US and ISAF forces in Afghanistan
On June 23, 2010, President Obama announced that he would nominate Petraeus to succeed General Stanley A. McChrystal as the Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. The change of command was prompted by McChrystal's comments about the Obama administration and its policies in Afghanistan during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. After being confirmed by the Senate on June 30, Petraeus formally assumed command on July 4. During the assumption of command remarks, Petraeus provided his vision and goals to NATO, the members of his command, and his Afghan partners. As he was known to do while the Commander in Iraq, Petraeus delivered his first Letter to the Troops on the same day he assumed command.On August 1, 2010, shortly after the disclosure of the Afghan war logs on Wikileaks, Petraeus issued his updated Tactical Directive for the prevention of civilian casualties, providing guidance and intent for the use of force by the U.S. military units operating in Afghanistan (replacing the July 1, 2009 version). This directive reinforced the concept of "disciplined use of force in partnership with Afghan Security Forces" in the fight against insurgent forces. In the October 2010 issue of Army Magazine, Petraeus discusses changes that have taken place over the last 18 months including: Setting the Conditions for Progress, Capitalizing on the Conditions for Progress, Improving Security, Supporting Governance Expansion, Promoting Economic Development, and discussing how the Troops are Carrying Out a Difficult Mission.
In early March, 2011, Petraeus made a "rare apology" following a NATO helicopter airstrike under his command which resulted in the deaths of nine Afghan boys and the wounding of a 10th, as they gathered firewood in Eastern Afghanistan. In a statement, Petraeus apologized to the members of the Afghan government, the people of Afghanistan and the surviving family members, and said: "These deaths should have never happened." Several journalists and observers noted the humanitarian candor in Petraeus' open regrets. Petraeus relinquished command of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on July 18. He received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the NATO Meritorious Service Medal for his service.
| + Promotions | Rank !! Date | |
| [[File:US-O10 insignia.svg | 2007 | |
| 54px Lieutenant General | 2004 | |
| 36px Major General | 2003 | |
| 20px Brigadier General | 2000 | |
| 25px Colonel | 1995 | |
| 20px Lieutenant Colonel | 1991 | |
| 20px Major | 1985 | |
| 15px Captain | 1978 | |
| 6px First Lieutenant | 1976 | |
| 6px Second Lieutenant | 1974 |
CIA Director nomination
On Thursday, April 28, 2011, President Barack Obama announced that he had nominated Petraeus to become the new Director of the CIA On June 27, 2011, Secretary of Defense Gates sent a note of congratulations along with his appreciation of Petraeus' four decades of service to the nation and his continuing service in Gates' former postion as Director of the CIA. His nomination to become the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency was confirmed by the United States Senate 94-0 on June 30, 2011.
Retirement from Army
Petaeus retired from the U.S. Army on August 31. His retirement ceremony was held at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. During this ceremony, He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn.
Health problems
General Petraeus was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer in February 2009 and underwent two months of successful radiation treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. 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.On June 15, 2010, Petraeus momentarily fainted while being questioned by the Senate Armed Services Committee. He quickly recovered and was able to walk and exit the room without assistance. He attributed the episode to possible dehydration.
Decorations and badges
{| style="width:100%;" |- |valign="top" || Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters) | |
| Defense Superior Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster) | |
| Legion of Merit (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters) | |
| Bronze Star Medal | |
| [[Defense Meritorious Service Medal | |
| Joint Service Commendation Medal | |
| Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters) | |
| Joint Service Achievement Medal | |
| Army Achievement Medal | |
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters) | |
| Army Superior Unit Award | |
| Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with 2 Service Stars) | |
| Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 3 Service Stars) | |
| Iraq Campaign Medal (with 4 Service Stars) | |
| Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | |
| Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | |
| Armed Forces Service Medal | |
| Humanitarian Service Medal | |
| Army Service Ribbon | |
| Gold Award of the Iraqi Order of the Date Palm | |
| Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic (1st Grade) | |
| Italian Gold Cross of Merit of the Carabinieri (Croce d'Oro al Merito dell'Arma dei carabinieri) | |
| Polish Army Medal (Gold) | |
| Romanian Chief of Defense Honor Emblem | |
| Meritorious Service Cross (Canada) Military Division | |
| Military Merit Order First Class, United Arab Emirates | |
| Order of National Security Merit (Korea), Tong-il Security Medel | |
| French National Order of the Legion of Honour Commander Legion of Honor | |
| Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia | |
| Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland | |
| NATO Meritorious Service Medal Iraq & Afghanistan with bronze service star | |
| NATO Medal for Yugoslavia, NTM-I, Afghanistan with 2 bronze service stars |
| Expert Infantryman Badge | ||
| Combat Action Badge | ||
| Master Parachutist Badge (United States) | ||
| Air Assault Badge | ||
| Army Staff Identification Badge | ||
| Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | ||
| Ranger Tab | ||
| worn as his Combat Service Identification Badge – Former War Time Service (SSI-FWTS). | ||
| 11 Overseas Service Bars | ||
| British Army Parachutist Badge (Junior level) | ||
| Basic French Parachutist Badge () | ||
| German Parachutist Badge in bronze () | ||
| German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency Bronze |
Additional recognition of note
In 2007, Time 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 Telegraph 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.In 2008, a poll conducted by Foreign Policy and Prospect magazines selected Petraeus as one of the world's top 100 public intellectuals. Also in 2008, the Static Line Association named Petraeus as its 2008 Man of the Year, and Der Spiegel named him "America's most respected soldier." As 2008 came to a close, 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". He was also named as one of the "75 Best People in the World" in the October 2009 issue of Esquire,
On December 9, 2010, Barbara Walters' picked Petraeus for the Most Fascinating Person of 2010. Walters called the top commander in Afghanistan "an American hero." Petraeus was chosen as "one of Time magazine's 50 "People Who Mattered" in December 2010. The same year he was named number 12 of 50 people who mattered in 2010 by the New Statesmen magazine,
Early January 2011, Pete Hegseth and Wade Zirkle from Vets for Freedom, wrote an Op-Ed for the Wall Street Journal making a claim that Petraeus should be promoted to Five-Star which would make him General of the Army The Institute for the Study of War, 2011, National Security Leadership Award was presented to Petraeus on August 4, 2011.
Speeches and public remarks
"Institutionalizing Change: Transformation in the US Army, 2005-2007,” May 2010.
Published works
See also
Notes and references
Further reading
External links
|- |- |- |-
Category:1952 births Category:American military personnel of the Iraq War Category:American military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:Cancer survivors Category:Commandants of the United States Army Command and General Staff College Category:Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland Category:Counter-insurgency theorists Category:Honorary Officers of the Order of Australia Category:Living people Category:Military leaders of the Iraq War Category:Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Category:People from Orange County, New York Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States) Category:Recipients of the Expert Infantryman Badge Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal Category:United States Army generals Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton alumni
ar:ديفيد بتريوس bn:ডেভিড পেট্রিয়াস cs:David Petraeus da:David Petraeus de:David Petraeus es:David Petraeus eo:David Petraeus fa:دیوید پتریوس fr:David Petraeus id:David Petraeus it:David Petraeus he:דייוויד פטראוס ka:დევიდ პიტრეიესი la:David Howell Petraeus nl:David Petraeus ja:デヴィッド・ペトレイアス no:David Howell Petraeus uz:David Petraeus pl:David Petraeus pt:David Petraeus ru:Петрэус, Дэвид sh:David Petraeus fi:David Petraeus sv:David Petraeus tr:David Petraeus uk:Девід Ховелл Петреус vi:David PetraeusThis text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
| name | King David |
|---|---|
| title | King of Israel |
| reign | over Judah c. 1010–1003 BC; over Judah and Israel c. 1003–970 BC |
| predecessor | Saul (Judah), Ish-bosheth (Israel) |
| successor | Solomon |
| consort | Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maachah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Bathsheba and Abishag |
| royal house | House of David (new house) |
| father | Jesse |
| mother | not named in the Bible; identified by the Talmud as Nitzevet, daughter of Adael. |
| birth date | c. 1040 BC |
| birth place | Bethlehem |
| death date | c. 970 BC |
| death place | Jerusalem |
| buried | }} |
David (; ISO 259-3 Dawid; Strong's Daveed; beloved; or ) was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary. He is depicted as a righteous king, although not without fault, as well as an acclaimed warrior, musician and poet, traditionally credited for composing many of the psalms contained in the Book of Psalms.
Edwin Thiele dates his life to c. 1040–970 BC, his reign over Judah c. 1010–1003 BC, and his reign over the united Kingdom of Israel c. 1003–970 BC. The Books of Samuel, 1 Kings, and 1 Chronicles are the only source of information on his life and reign, although the Tel Dan stele may record the existence in the mid-9th century of a Judean royal dynasty called the "House of David", although this is disputed.
David's life is very important to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic culture. In Judaism, David, or David HaMelekh, is the King of Israel, and the Jewish people. A direct descendant of David will be the Messiah. In Islam, he is known as Dawud, considered to be a prophet and the king of a nation.
Biblical narrative
David is chosen of God
God withdrew his favour from Saul, king of Israel. It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. 1 Samuel 15:11 The prophet Samuel seeks a new king from the sons of Jesse of Bethlehem. Seven of Jesse's sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel says "The LORD has not chosen these." He then asks "Are these all the sons you have?" and Jesse answers, "There is still the youngest but he is tending the sheep." David is brought to Samuel, and "the LORD said, 'Rise and anoint him; he is the one.'"
David at the court of Saul
God sends an evil spirit to torment Saul,1 Samuel 16:14, and his attendants suggest he send for David, a young warrior famed for his bravery and for his skill with the harp. Saul does so and makes David one of his armor-bearers and "whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him."
David and Goliath
The Israelites, under King Saul, face the Philistines in the Valley of Elah. The boy David is bringing food to his older brothers who are with Saul. He hears the Philistine giant Goliath challenging the Israelites to send their own champion to decide the outcome in single combat. David tells Saul he is prepared to face Goliath and Saul allows him to make the attempt. He is victorious, striking Goliath in the forehead with a stone from his sling. Goliath falls, and David kills him with his own sword and beheads him; the Philistines flee in terror. Saul sends to know the name of the young champion, and David tells him that he is the son of Jesse.
King Saul and David
Saul makes David a commander over his armies and offers him his daughter Michal in marriage for bringing more than 200 foreskins of the Philistines to him. David is successful in many battles, and his popularity awakes Saul's fears — "What more can he have but the kingdom?" By various stratagems the jealous king seeks his death, but the plots only endear David the more to the people, and especially to Saul's son Jonathan, who loves David (1 Samuel 18:1, 2 Samuel 1:25-26). Warned by Jonathan, David flees into the wilderness, where he gathers a band of followers and becomes the champion of the oppressed while evading the pursuit of Saul. He accepts the town of Ziklag as a chief from the Philistine king Achish of Gath, but continues secretly to champion the Israelites. Achish marches against Saul, but David is excused from the war on the accusation of the Philistine nobles that his loyalty to their cause cannot be trusted.
David becomes king
Jonathan and Saul are killed in battle with the Philistines at Mount Gilboa. David mourns their deaths, especially that of Jonathan, his friend, and then goes up to Hebron, where he is anointed king over Judah; in the north, Saul's son Ish-Bosheth is king of the tribes of Israel. War ensues between Ish-Bosheth and David, until Ish-Bosheth is murdered. The assassins bring the head of Ish-Bosheth to David hoping for reward, but David executes them for their crime against the Lord's anointed. Yet with the death of the son of Saul, the elders of Israel come to Hebron, and David, 30 years old, is anointed King over Israel and Judah.
Jerusalem and the Davidic Covenant
David conquers the Jebusite fortress of Jerusalem, and makes it his capital, and "Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house." David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, intending to build a temple, but God, speaking to the prophet Nathan, forbids it, saying the temple must wait for a future generation. God makes a covenant with David, promising that he will establish the house of David eternally: "Your throne shall be established forever."With God's help David is victorious over his people's enemies. The Philistines are subdued, the Moabites to the east pay tribute, along with Hadadezer of Zobah, from whom David takes gold shields and bronze vessels.
Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite
David commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Bathsheba becomes pregnant. David sends for Uriah, who is with the Israelite army at the siege of Rabbah, so that he may lie with his wife and conceal the identity of the child's father. Uriah refuses to do so while his companions are in the field of battle and David sends him back to Joab, the commander, with a message instructing him to abandon Uriah on the battlefield, "that he may be struck down, and die." David marries Bathsheba and she bears his child, "but the thing that David had done displeased the Lord." The prophet Nathan confronts David, saying: "Why have you despised the word of God, to do what is evil in his sight? You have smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife." Nathan presents three punishments from God for this sin. First, that the "sword shall never depart from your house" (2 Samuel 12:10) second, that "Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel., (2 Samuel 12:12) and finally, that "the son born to you will die" (2 Samuel 12:14). David repents, yet God "struck the [David's] child ... and it became sick ... [And] on the seventh day the child died." David leaves his lamentations, dresses himself, and eats. His servants ask why he wept when the baby was alive, but ends his mourning when the child dies. David replies: "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." (2 Samuel 12:22-23, New International Version).
David's son Absalom rebels
David's son Absalom rebels against his father, and they come to battle in the Wood of Ephraim. Absalom is caught by his hair in the branches of an oak and David’s general Joab kills him as he hangs there. When the news of the victory is brought to David he does not rejoice, but is instead shaken with grief: "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
The old age of David
When David has become old and bedridden, Adonijah, his eldest surviving son and natural heir, declares himself king. Bathsheba, David's favorite wife, and Nathan the prophet, fearing that they will be killed by Adonijah, go to David and procure his agreement that Solomon, Bathsheba's son, should sit on the throne. And so the plans of Adonijah collapse, and Solomon becomes king. It is to Solomon that David gives his final instructions, including his promise that the line of Solomon and David will inherit the throne of Judah forever, and his request that Solomon kill his oldest enemies on his behalf. David dies and is buried in the City of David, having ruled forty years over Israel, seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
David the Musician
In various biblical passages, David is referred to as “the favorite of the songs of Israel,” the one who soothed Saul with music, and the founder of Temple singing. A Psalms scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls (11QPsa) attributes 3600 tehilim (songs of praise) plus other compositions to David. Seventy-three of the 150 Psalms in the Bible are attributed to David. The supreme kingship of Yahweh is the most pervasive theological concept in the book of Psalms, and many psalms attributed to David are directed to Yahweh by name, whether in praise or petition, suggesting a relationship. According to the Midrash Tehillim, King David was prompted to the Psalms by the Holy Spirit that rested upon him.
In addition to ascribing authorship to David, several Psalms are identified with specific events in David’s life. Psalm 34 is attributed to David on the occasion of his escape from the Abimelech (king) Achish by pretending to be insane. According to the narrative in 1 Samuel 21, instead of killing the man who had exacted so many casualties from him, Abimelech allows David to depart, exclaiming, “Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?" Psalm 34 is one of seven acrostic Psalms in the original Hebrew; most English translations do not retain the acrostic form. The first part of Psalm 34 is directed toward Yahweh in complete and humble gratitude (David does not even mention his own royal status); the second part confidently directs others to Yahweh. encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them … Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the . | Psalm 34:6-7,11 (ESV)}}
In contrast, Psalm 18 is not related to a specific incident but rather to God’s faithful deliverance from “all of his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” The text of this Psalm was thought to date to the 10th century BC even before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and is very similar to that of 2 Samuel 22. In this Psalm, David recalls being in deadly situations: “The cords of death entangled me, the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.” He cries out to God for help, and God rescues David.
The Scottish theologian Samuel Rutherford (1600–1661) notes that crying out to God is mentioned in many Psalms attributed to David. He comments, “Fervour is a heavenly ingredient in prayer. An arrow drawn with full strength hath a speedier issue.” The Midrash Tehillim teaches from Psalm 4 “that the mere mechanical application to the Throne of Mercy is not efficacious is plainly seen from the words of King David, who says God is nigh to all that call upon Him, and … he adds the important words, 'to those who call upon Him in truth.'”
According to Psalm 40, David’s cries to God were heartfelt though not necessarily impatient; the poignant combination of a cry for help with a confident expression of faith echo today in the song “40” by the rock group U2 and that encapsulates David’s experience with his God: ; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the . | Psalm 40:1-3 (NIV)}}
Religions and David
David in Judaism
| Name | King David the Prophet |
|---|---|
| Birth date | c. 1040 B.C.E. |
| Death date | c. 970 B.C.E. |
| Venerated in | JudaismChristianityIslamBaha'ism |
| Birth place | Bethlehem |
| Death place | Jerusalem |
| Titles | Holy Monarch, Prophet, Reformer, Spiritual Poet & Musician, Vicegerent of God, Psalm-Receiver |
| Attributes | Psalms, Harp, Head of Goliath |
| Prayer attrib | }} |
David is also viewed as a tragic figure; his acquisition of Bathsheba, and the loss of his son are viewed as his central tragedies.
Many legends have grown around the figure of David. According to one Rabbinic tradition, David was raised as the son of his father Jesse and spent his early years herding his father's sheep in the wilderness while his brothers were in school. Only at his anointing by Samuel - when the oil from Samuel's flask turned to diamonds and pearls - was his true identity as Jesse's son revealed. David's adultery with Bathsheba was only an opportunity to demonstrate the power of repentance, and some Talmudic authors stated that it was not adultery at all, quoting a Jewish practice of divorce on the eve of battle. Furthermore, according to David's apologists, the death of Uriah was not to be considered murder, on the basis that Uriah had committed a capital offence by refusing to obey a direct command from the King.
According to midrashim, Adam gave up 70 years of his life for the life of David. Also, according to the Talmud Yerushalmi, David was born and died on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (Feast of Weeks). His piety was said to be so great that his prayers could bring down things from Heaven.
David in Christianity
Originally an earthly king ruling by divine appointment ("the anointed one", as the title Messiah had it), the "son of David" became in the last two pre-Christian centuries the apocalyptic and heavenly who would deliver Israel and usher in a new kingdom. This was the background to the concept of Messiahship in early Christianity, which interpreted the career of Jesus "by means of the titles and functions assigned to David in the mysticism of the Zion cult, in which he served as priest-king and in which he was the mediator between God and man." The early Church believed that "the life of David [foreshadowed] the life of Christ; Bethlehem is the birthplace of both; the shepherd life of David points out Christ, the Good Shepherd; the five stones chosen to slay Goliath are typical of the five wounds; the betrayal by his trusted counsellor, Achitophel, and the passage over the Cedron remind us of Christ's Sacred Passion. Many of the Davidic Psalms, as we learn from the New Testament, are clearly typical of the future Messiah." In the Middle Ages, "Charlemagne thought of himself, and was viewed by his court scholars, as a 'new David'. [This was] not in itself a new idea, but [one whose] content and significance were greatly enlarged by him." The linking of David to earthly kingship was reflected in later Medieval cathedral windows all over Europe through the device of the Tree of Jesse its branches demonstrating how divine kingship descended from Jesse, through his son David, to Jesus.Western Rite churches (Roman Catholic, Lutheran) celebrate his feast day on 29 December, Eastern-rite on 19 December. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Church celebrate the feast day of the "Holy Righteous Prophet and King David" on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers (two Sundays before the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Lord), when he is commemorated together with other ancestors of Jesus. He is also commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity, together with Joseph and James, the Brother of the Lord.
David in Islam
Main article Islamic view of DavidDavid (Arabic داود, Dāwūd) is a highly important figure in Islam as one of the major prophets sent by God to guide the nation of Israel. David is mentioned several times in the Qur'an, often with his son Solomon. In the Qur'an: David kills Goliath (II: 251) and God grants him kingship and wisdom and enforces it (XXXVIII: 20). David is made God's "vicegerent on earth" (XXXVIII: 26) and God further gives David sound judgment (XXI: 78; XXXVII: 21-24, 26) as well as the Psalms, which are regarded as books of divine wisdom (IV: 163; XVII, 55). The birds and mountains unite with David in ushering praise to God (XXI: 79; XXXIV: 10; XXXVIII: 18), while God instructs David in the art of fashioning chain-mail out of iron (XXXIV: 10; XXI: 80). Together with Solomon, David gives judgment in a case of damage to the fields (XXI: 78) and David judges in the matter between two disputants in his prayer chamber (XXXVIII: 21-23). There is no mention in the Qur'an of the wrong David did to Uriah nor is there any reference to Bathsheba, and therefore Muslims reject this narrative.
Muslim tradition and the hadith stress David's zeal in daily prayer as well as in fasting. Qur'an commentators, historians and compilers of the numerous Stories of the Prophets elaborate upon David's concise Qur'anic narratives and specifically mention David's gift in singing his Psalms as well as his beautiful musical and vocal talents. His voice is described as having had a captivating power, weaving its influence not only over man but over all beasts and nature, who would unite with him to praise God.
David in Baha'i Faith
David is described as a minor prophet who came in the shadow of the dispensation of Moses to develop and consolidate the process he set in motion.
David in the LDS Faith
The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cites David as one directed by God to practise polygamy, but who sinned in committing adultery with Bathsheba and having Uriah killed. The LDS doctrine is that polygamy is only allowed as directed by the Lord, otherwise it is a grievous sin. Since 1898 the LDS church has prohibited the practice of polygamy by its members.
Historicity of David
See The Bible and history and dating the Bible for a more complete description of the general issues surrounding the Bible as a historical source.
Archaeological evidence
Tel Dan Stele and Mesha Stele
A fragment of an Aramaean victory stele discovered in 1993 at Tel Dan and dated c.850-835 BC contains a phrase (bytdwd). Because ancient Aramaic script does not contain vowels, different readings are possible. Scholars agree that the first part should be read (beyt), meaning "house". However, the second part can be read as 1) (dod), which means "uncle" or "beloved" or as 2) (David). The phrase therefore can mean either "House of the beloved", "House of the uncle" or "House of David". Since the stele recounts the victory of an Aramean king over "the king of Israel" the translation of "" as "the House of David" is not illogical. The Mesha Stele from Moab, dating from approximately the same period, may also contain the name David, in two places: in line 12, where the interpretation is uncertain, and בת[ד]וד in line 31, where one destroyed letter must be supplied (here it is bracketed in the middle). Kenneth Kitchen has proposed that an inscription of c. 945 BC by the Egyptian Pharaoh Shoshenq I mentions "the highlands of David." Although a reference to King David in this geographical name is not certain, some scholars suggest it is reasonable.
City of David and Judah, ca. 1000 BC onward
The Bronze and Iron Age remains of the City of David, the original urban core of Jerusalem identified with the reigns of David and Solomon, were investigated extensively in the 1970s and 1980s under the direction of Yigal Shiloh of the Hebrew University, but failed to discover significant evidence of occupation during the 10th century BC, In 2005, Eilat Mazar found a Large Stone Structure which she claimed was David's Palace, but the archaeology is contaminated and impossible to date accurately. Finkelstein and Silberman feel the archaeological evidence from surface surveys indicates that Judah at the time of David was a small tribal kingdom, although both do accept that David and Solomon were likely historical figures in Judah about the 10th century BC (describing David as a "bandit leader").
The biblical account
The biblical account about David comes from the book of Samuel and the book of Chronicles (both of which are divided into two books in Jewish and Christian traditions). (Although almost half of the Psalms are headed "A Psalm of David", the headings are later additions, and no psalm can be attributed to David with certainty). Chronicles merely retells Samuel from a different theological vantage point, and contains little if any information not available there, and the biblical evidence for David is therefore dependent almost exclusively on the material contained in the chapters from 1 Samuel 16 to 1 Kings 2.Since Martin Noth put forward his analysis of the Deuteronomistic History biblical scholars have accepted that these two books form part of a continuous history of Israel, compiled no earlier than the late 7th century BC, but incorporating earlier works and fragments. Samuel's account of David "seems to have undergone two separate acts of editorial slanting. The original writers show a strong bias against Saul, and in favour of David and Solomon. Many years later, the Deuteronomists edited the material in a manner that conveyed their religious message, inserting reports and anecdotes that strengthened their monotheistic doctrine. Some of the materials in Samuel I and II, notably the boundary, allotment and administrative lists are believed to be very early, since they correspond closely to what we know of the territorial conditions of the late Davidic-early Solomonic period.
Beyond this, the full range of possible interpretations is available. The late John Bright, whose History of Israel, which went through four editions from 1959 to 2000, takes Samuel at face value, but Donald B. Redford thinks all reconstructions from Biblical sources for the United Monarchy period are examples of 'academic wishful thinking', and Thomas L. Thompson measures Samuel against the archaeological evidence and concludes that "an independent history of Judea during the Iron I [i.e., the period of David] and Iron II periods has little room for historicizing readings of the stories of I-II Samuel and I Kings." Some interesting studies of David have been written: Baruch Halpern has pictured David as a lifelong vassal of Achish, the Philistine king of Gath; Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman have identified as the oldest and most reliable section of Samuel those chapters which describe David as the charismatic leader of a band of outlaws who captures Jerusalem and makes it his capital. Steven McKenzie, Associate Professor of the Hebrew Bible at Rhodes College and author of King David: A Biography, states the belief that David actually came from a wealthy family, was "ambitious and ruthless" and a tyrant who murdered his opponents, including his own sons.
David's succession
Genealogy
According to and , David is the eleventh generation from Judah, the fourth son of the patriarch Jacob (Israel). The genealogical line runs as follows: (1) Judah → (2) Pharez → (3) Hezron → (4) Ram → (5) Amminadab → (6) Nahshon → (7) Salmon → (8) Boaz (the husband of Ruth) → (9) Obed → (10) Jesse → (11) David.
David's family
David was born in Bethlehem, in the territory of the Tribe of Judah. His father was named Jesse. His mother is not named in the Bible, but the Talmud identifies her as Nitzevet daughter of Adael. David had seven brothers and was the youngest of them all. He had eight wives: Michal, the second daughter of King Saul; Ahinoam the Jezreelite; Abigail the Carmelite, previously wife of Nabal; Maachah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; Haggith; Abital; Eglah; and Bathsheba, previously the wife of Uriah the Hittite.The Book of Chronicles lists David's sons by various wives and concubines. In Hebron he had six sons : Amnon, by Ahinoam; Daniel, by Abigail; Absalom, by Maachah; Adonijah, by Haggith; Shephatiah, by Abital; and Ithream, by Eglah. By Bathsheba, his sons were: Shammua; Shobab; Nathan; and Solomon. His sons born in Jerusalem by other wives included: Ibhar; Elishua; Eliphelet; Nogah; Nepheg; Japhia; Elishama; and Eliada. According to , Jerimoth, who is not mentioned in any of the genealogies, is mentioned as another of David's sons. According to , David adopted Jonathan's son Mephibosheth as his own.
David also had at least one daughter, Tamar by Maachah, who was raped by Amnon, her half-brother. Her rape leads to Amnon's death. Absalom, Amnon's half-brother and Tamar's full-brother, waits two years, then avenges his sister by sending his servants to kill Amnon at a feast to which he had invited all the king's sons.
Descendants of David
The following are some of the more notable persons who have claimed descent from the Biblical David, or had it claimed on their behalf:
Legend & Legacy
In European Christian culture of the Middle Ages David was created a member of the Nine Worthies, a group of heroes encapsulating all the ideal qualities of chivalry. His life was thus proposed as a valuable subject for study by those aspiring to chivalric status. This aspect of David in the Nine Worthies was popularised firstly through literature, and was thereafter adopted as a frequent subject for painters and sculptors.
Representation in art and literature
Art
Famous sculptures of David include (in chronological order) those by:
Literature
Film
Music
Musical theatre
Television
Trivia
For a considerable period, starting in the 15th century and continuing until the 19th, French playing card manufacturers assigned to each of the court cards names taken from history or mythology. In this context, the King of Spades was often known as "David".
See also
Notes
is the traditional Koranic spelling without vocalization. In Modern Standard Arabic, it is normally written .
References
Further reading
External links
Category:Hebrew Bible people Category:Kings of ancient Israel Category:Kings of ancient Judah Category:10th-century BC biblical rulers Category:11th-century BC biblical rulers Category:Biblical murderers Category:Burials in Jerusalem Category:History of Jerusalem Category:Old Testament saints Category:People celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar Category:People from Bethlehem Category:Shepherds Category:Books of Samuel
ace:Daud ar:داود az:Davud peyğəmbər bn:দাউদ be:Давыд, цар ізраільска-іудзейскі br:David (roue Israel) bg:Давид ca:David cs:David (biblická postava) cy:Dafydd (brenin) da:Kong David pdc:Daafit de:David (Israel) el:Δαβίδ es:David eo:Davido eu:David fa:داوود fr:David (Bible) fur:Davide ga:Dáiví gl:David hak:Thai-ví-vòng ko:다윗 hi:दाउद hr:Kralj David id:Daud it:Davide he:דוד ka:დავითი sw:Daudi (Biblia) ku:Dawid lbe:Давуд идавс la:David (rex) lt:Dovydas hu:Dávid zsidó király mk:Давид ml:ദാവീദ് nl:Koning David ja:ダビデ no:David av Israel nn:David I av Israel pl:Dawid (król Izraela) pt:David ro:David (Iuda) ru:Давид sco:David sq:Mbreti David simple:David sk:Dávid (biblická postava) so:Nabi Daa'uud C.S. sr:Давид (краљ) fi:Daavid sv:Kung David ta:தாவீது அரசர் tl:David th:เดวิด tr:Davud uk:Давид vi:David wo:Daawuda yi:דוד המלך zh:大衛
This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
Affiliated Video Suggestions
