July 28, 2023
General David Petreaus is the epitome of the scholar-warrior, having graduated with distinction from West Point and later earning a PhD from Princeton. He held a number of important commands including the 101st Airborne Division during the invasion of Iraq; the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq, the US Army Combined Arms Center, headquartered at Fort Leavenworth, but overseeing 16 centers and schools across the country; the Surge in Iraq; U.S. Central Command, responsible for all U.S. military operations in the greater Middle East; and all U.S. and Nato forces in Afghanistan. He became most widely recognized after he oversaw the development of the Army Counterinsurgency Field Manual and then implemented its concepts during the Surge in Iraq, during which Iraq was pulled out of a sectarian civil war and violence was driven down by over 85% -- remaining down for the subsequent 3-1/2 years. Following his military career, Petreaus served as Director of the CIA from September 6, 2011 to November 9, 2012.
General Petreaus is now a partner in the global investment firm Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts, and Chairman of the firm's Global Institute, which he established 10 years ago. He also serves on boards of KKR companies, co-teaches a graduate seminar on Great Power Competition at Yale's Jackson School, is a venture capitalist, contributes to a number of think tanks and non-profit organizations, traveling extensively around the globe in these capacities, with a special focus on the changing relationships among nations and the impact of various factors including security issues, economics, climate change, demographics, education, technology, leadership and strategy. Beyond Yale, he has held academic appointments at five additional universities in the past, and he is frequently interviewed in international media. His new book, co-authored with the popular biographer and historian Andrew Roberts, is “Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine.”
My conversation with General Petreaus is one of many I will undertake between now and 2025, one quarter of the way through the 21st century. The plan is to assess the state of the world, and the evolving dynamics of the relationships among nations. I hope to investigate change and the change-inducing elements that influence us. I will seek to comprehend those forces that may threaten our current existence and very survival including nuclear, climate, biology and technology. These will be conversations about war and peace, politics and culture, shifting relationships, new ideas, success and failure, finding power and exercising power, new players and established players.
Most of the interviews will be on zoom which has advantages and disadvantages. I’m still learning how to use it so I can maximize its advantage of ease of access and limit its disadvantages. My experience is that it is always better if the parties are face to face and can feel as well as see the full range of emotions and expressions of each other. While I did not have time to pursue all my curiosity and follow up about our world including the significance of individual continents like Africa and countries like India and Germany, new technologies like artificial intelligence and the continuing role of fundamentals like leadership, any conversation that includes David Petreaus’s experience, intelligence and drive is fascinating. I began with his perspective on the changing world order and America’s leadership.
To see all the conversations I’ve had with General Petraeus, visit charlierose.com.