Quote

We'll try to include Iraqi officers in our staffs. We will do everything we can to empower Iraqi security forces to stand up on their own and operate where they can alone.

John Abizaid

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

John Abizaid
Age: 73
Born: 1951
Born: April 1
Military Officer
Security
Empower
Stand
Iraqi
Alone
Operate
Force
Include
Everything
Officers
Trying
Empowering
Forces
Military
Staffs

More quotes by John Abizaid

Image
But as we move from this period of what many Iraqis regard as perceived occupation, we need to move towards one of partnership.
John Abizaid
Image
And so I think that if the person has the funds, the network, and the equipment to do this, and also the experience, which is the key factor, then they can be quite deadly.
John Abizaid
Image
But clearly the fact that we've gone from zero Iraqi security forces on duty in May to up to 200,000 today is an enormous accomplishment, but it's not enough.
John Abizaid
Image
As far as Zarqawi is concerned, there is a network of extremists it's not just Zarqawi.
John Abizaid
Image
Everybody needs to understand that I learned Arabic from the United States Army as a second language. I never spoke it at home.
John Abizaid
Image
It's clear to me now that we've got to reach out to the Arab Sunni community in particular in an effort to cause some moderate political activity to take place so they join the future of Iraq.
John Abizaid
Image
Undoubtedly, there are members of the former regime that are cooperating in some fashion and then there are extremists that are within Iraq that are cooperating with them.
John Abizaid
Image
Well, the hardest thing to do, as we know from our own experience on 9/11 is protect everything all the time.
John Abizaid
Image
But the key shift in focus will be from counter-insurgency operations to more and more cooperation with Iraqi security forces and to building Iraqi security capacity.
John Abizaid
Image
So, these political activities will create friction in and of themselves, and in this environment of friction there'll be additional violence.
John Abizaid
Image
The United States is the most powerful nation on Earth and it just can't walk away from the Middle East and central Asia and the Horn of Africa.
John Abizaid
Image
The power to prevent violence is a power that no police force seems to have anywhere in the United States.
John Abizaid
Image
Nobody's more mindful of the sacrifices of our troops than those of us that command them.
John Abizaid
Image
I believe we've... we've worked very hard with the Iraqis to build a better place ever since the fall of Saddam's government.
John Abizaid
Image
I don't believe Iran is a suicide state.
John Abizaid
Image
Capturing any member of any terrorist cell or any insurgent cell that we may happen to come across is always very, very valuable, and the thing that interests me is that in most instances after a time people talk and they tell us what they know.
John Abizaid
Image
And over time, I think, as Iraqi security capacity builds, you'll see American and coalition presence there decline.
John Abizaid
Image
I think you also understand that one of the key things that's got to be done in Iraq is to build a mentality of understanding that the military needs to be subordinate to civilian control and respectful of its own people.
John Abizaid
Image
But my Arabic is pretty good. It's good enough to have conversations with people, to understand what they say, to understand what they're feeling.
John Abizaid