Quotes by John Abizaid

About John Abizaid:

John Philip Abizaid is a retired United States Army general and former U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander, overseeing American military operations in a 27-country region, from the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, to South and Central Asia, covering much of the Middle East. CENTCOM oversees 250,000 US troops. Abizaid succeeded General Tommy Franks as Commander, USCENTCOM, on July 7, 2003, and was also elevated to the rank of four-star general the same week. He was succeeded by Admiral William J. Fallon on March 16, 2007.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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

I think what actually works best is local-level individual targeting of key leadership nodes.

John Abizaid

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

Well, the hardest thing to do, as we know from our own experience on 9/11 is protect everything all the time.

John Abizaid

Being on the run, having to change the way that you do business, being unable to plan in a safe and secure environment, always looking over your shoulder, knowing that some day somebody's going to knock on your door and it's going to be your last.

John Abizaid

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

Every American soldier wants as much public support as he can possibly have. That's the soldiers on duty in Iraq, and that's me, as well. We fight better knowing that our people back home support us, back us, and understand what we're doing. It's hug...

John Abizaid

Morale is good; troops are confident; leaders are capable.

John Abizaid

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

We've got to ensure that the quality and the capability of these forces will be good enough to withstand the challenges that the insurgents and the terrorists will present to the new Iraqi government.

John Abizaid

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

But the truth of the matter is that there is there is an opportunity for them to participate in the economic and political future of the country and certainly in the security life of the country.

John Abizaid

I think you will see a lot of strains develop in the political process that will result in violence everywhere in the country - but it's controllable, it's workable and it will lead to a much better future for these people.

John Abizaid

As far as Zarqawi is concerned, there is a network of extremists; it's not just Zarqawi.

John Abizaid

But all that having been said, you can't, in a city of a million people like Karbala, or 5 million like Baghdad, you can't be in all places at all times.

John Abizaid

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

Certainly our goal is to leave Iraq, but we can't leave Iraq with our forces until we know that the Iraqi security forces are capable and efficient enough to defend the sovereignty of the nation.

John Abizaid

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

So, these political activities will create friction in and of themselves, and in this environment of friction there'll be additional violence.

John Abizaid

Our forces will not be on the sidelines.

John Abizaid

Author Bio

  • NameJohn Abizaid
  • DescriptionArmy general
  • BornApril 1, 1951
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionOfficer
  • AwardsBronze Star Medal; Legionnaire Of Legion Of Merit; Honourary Cross Of The Bundeswehr In Gold