going back to the when I was acting chief of staff for the army in 2003 and
chief of staff for the army in 2003 and
chief of staff for the army in 2003 and I visited all the division commanders
I visited all the division commanders
I visited all the division commanders and general Sanchez it was already a
and general Sanchez it was already a
and general Sanchez it was already a low-level insurgency on our hands and to
low-level insurgency on our hands and to
low-level insurgency on our hands and to be frank about it most people did not
be frank about it most people did not
be frank about it most people did not understand that and the one general
understand that and the one general
understand that and the one general officer that understood what this was
officer that understood what this was
officer that understood what this was and we were in agreement was Dave
and we were in agreement was Dave
and we were in agreement was Dave Petraeus not de betrays I have a long
Petraeus not de betrays I have a long
Petraeus not de betrays I have a long association he worked for me a number of
association he worked for me a number of
association he worked for me a number of times he was commanding the very
times he was commanding the very
times he was commanding the very division I command and so we have a lot
division I command and so we have a lot
division I command and so we have a lot in common that was illuminating you know
in common that was illuminating you know
in common that was illuminating you know to me and I never forgot that and then
to me and I never forgot that and then
to me and I never forgot that and then he went back to help train the Iraqi
he went back to help train the Iraqi
he went back to help train the Iraqi security forces as a second assignment
security forces as a second assignment
security forces as a second assignment he was sitting at Fort Leavenworth in
he was sitting at Fort Leavenworth in
he was sitting at Fort Leavenworth in concert with general mattis and they
concert with general mattis and they
concert with general mattis and they were writing new doctrine to how to
were writing new doctrine to how to
were writing new doctrine to how to execute counterinsurgency I mean to be
execute counterinsurgency I mean to be
execute counterinsurgency I mean to be cranked about it I did receive a phone
cranked about it I did receive a phone
cranked about it I did receive a phone call from the vice president that week
call from the vice president that week
call from the vice president that week when they had made a decision to execute
when they had made a decision to execute
when they had made a decision to execute the strategy and he asked me if I would
the strategy and he asked me if I would
the strategy and he asked me if I would put my uniform back on and go fight the
put my uniform back on and go fight the
put my uniform back on and go fight the war I don’t think I’ve ever said that
war I don’t think I’ve ever said that
war I don’t think I’ve ever said that publicly but it did happen and I told
publicly but it did happen and I told
publicly but it did happen and I told him I for personal reasons I wasn’t in
him I for personal reasons I wasn’t in
him I for personal reasons I wasn’t in the position to do that I said mr. vice
the position to do that I said mr. vice
the position to do that I said mr. vice president is almost an exact quote I I
president is almost an exact quote I I
president is almost an exact quote I I said you know it’s a bit of act of
said you know it’s a bit of act of
said you know it’s a bit of act of desperation and it really isn’t
desperation and it really isn’t
desperation and it really isn’t necessary
necessary
necessary I say I understand and I was able to
I say I understand and I was able to
I say I understand and I was able to communicate what should be done and
communicate what should be done and
communicate what should be done and there’s some confidence in me as a
there’s some confidence in me as a
there’s some confidence in me as a result of that but the fact of the
result of that but the fact of the
result of that but the fact of the matter is General Petraeus is better
matter is General Petraeus is better
matter is General Petraeus is better qualified you don’t have to go to a
qualified you don’t have to go to a
qualified you don’t have to go to a retired guy to do this they have a guy
retired guy to do this they have a guy
retired guy to do this they have a guy on active duty who’s got all the
on active duty who’s got all the
on active duty who’s got all the qualifications to do it better qualified
qualifications to do it better qualified
qualifications to do it better qualified than than me to do it he’s current on it
than than me to do it he’s current on it
than than me to do it he’s current on it he’s he’s written a new strategy to how
he’s he’s written a new strategy to how
he’s he’s written a new strategy to how to deal with that and as as you heard in
to deal with that and as as you heard in
to deal with that and as as you heard in the White House Oval Office when
the White House Oval Office when
the White House Oval Office when President Bush was theorizing well if
President Bush was theorizing well if
President Bush was theorizing well if we’re going to reach a C is going to be
we’re going to reach a C is going to be
we’re going to reach a C is going to be replaced you know who should be
replaced you know who should be
replaced you know who should be replacing him among the the five of us
replacing him among the the five of us
replacing him among the the five of us that were there we all agreed on on
that were there we all agreed on on
that were there we all agreed on on Petraeus and I told the vice president I
Petraeus and I told the vice president I
Petraeus and I told the vice president I said if you put feelers out you will
said if you put feelers out you will
said if you put feelers out you will find that this is a consensus pick
find that this is a consensus pick
find that this is a consensus pick you’re not going to find people opposed
you’re not going to find people opposed
you’re not going to find people opposed to General Petraeus taking over the war
to General Petraeus taking over the war
to General Petraeus taking over the war you
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