Gen. Petraeus briefs the Press

A long, yet very worthwhile read.
One which every citizen and politician (especially politicians!) should be required to read and understand.

Teleconference between Gen. David Petraeus, MNF-I commander, and Associated Press reporters, May 8, 2007.

But before signing off, I really feel an obligation to say a few words about the great soldiers, sailors, air men, Marines, and even Coast Guardsmen, and civilians with whom I'm privileged to serve here in Iraq. They have not all been perfect. It is absolutely true; there have been missteps, some serious missteps, by a few of our troopers or units at various times.

But for each trooper who has failed to live up to our country's expectations, there have been thousands of others who have selflessly gone about their mission, doing what they've been asked to do; enduring separation from loved ones; soldiering in crushing heat, terrible sandstorms; battling a truly barbaric enemy; grappling with the complexities and frustrations of working in cultures that are very different from our own; and in some cases giving the last full measure of devotion in carrying out their assigned missions.

As I mentioned earlier, when I was the commander of the 101st Airborne Division in northern Iraq, Tom Brokaw spent some time with us. And before getting back on a helicopter after a particularly good day, seeing the myriad tasks in which our soldiers were engaged, he grabbed me, and over the noise of the helicopter he shouted into my ear, "You know, that World War II generation may have been the 'greatest generation,'" he said, "but surely these troopers here are the new 'greatest generation.'"

I agreed with him then, and I still very much do. Repeatedly in Iraq, I see the concept of our old Army recruiting slogan, the "Army of one" concept, played out -- a concept that holds that each soldier can be the most important person in the life of another soldier at some critical point.

In fact, I've often wondered -- especially while observing soldiers rendering a final salute to a fallen comrade after a memorial ceremony, I've wondered where our country finds such young men and women, who, despite the personal flaws that we all have, serve so selflessly and in the face of enormous challenges, repeatedly demonstrate impressive initiative, determination, innovativeness and courage.

I raise this today because as the discussion over Iraq continues, understandably, it is my hope that our country will never turn its back on those in uniform who have done what their country asked them to do, even though that duty required enormous sacrifices and entailed substantial hardships.

And so today, before this impressive group of editors, writers, publishers and others, I want to express my hope that our country will never forget and never fail to honor the sacrifices of those who wear and have worn our country's uniform.

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