Petraeus: There Are Risks Beyond Iraq
Gen David Petraeus tells NBC's Brian Williams that if ordered by the president to get out of Iraq, he could: "Absolutely I firmly believe whoever it is that is elected in the fall will sit down and look at the various interests, try to figure out the competing risks, because there are risks beyond Iraq".
Gen. David Petraeus tells NBC’s Brian Williams that if ordered by the president to get out of Iraq, he could: “Absolutely. … I firmly believe whoever it is that is elected in the fall will sit down and look at the various interests, try to figure out the competing risks, because there are risks beyond Iraq.”
The general also made it clear that he has absolutely no designs on public office.
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Williams also asked, “In your job, you give orders, you also take them from your Commander in Chief. And if your commander in chief said ‘get out,’ could you carry that out?
Petraeus: “Absolutely. Again, we raise our right hand; we swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. One of the principles enshrined in the way we do business in the United States is civilian control of the military. There is also responsibility on the part of a commander, of course, to discuss what risks are associated with various courses of action. And I firmly believe whoever it is that is elected in the fall, will sit down and look at the various interests, try to figure out the competing risks, because there are risks beyond Iraq.”
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