Countering Afghanistan's Downward Spiral - Gen. David Petraeus March 26, 2009

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Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/03/13/General_David_Petraeus_Update_on_the_Middle_East

General David Petraeus says Afghanistan "spiraled downward" as the insurgency "expanded its strength and influence." Petraeus outlines a counterinsurgency plan to stabilize Afghanistan, which includes the 17,000 extra troops recently announced by President Barack Obama.

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Commander, United States Central Command, General David H. Petraeus gives an update on the Middle East at the World Affairs Council of Connecticut.

He discusses CENTCOM's role in the Middle East, plus the situation on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. -- WAC Connecticut

General David H. Petraeus assumed command of the United States Central Command in October 2008, after serving for over 19 months as the Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq. Prior to his tour as MNF-I Commander, he commanded the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth. Before that assignment, he was the first commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, which he led from June 2004 to September 2005, and the NATO Training Mission-Iraq, which he commanded from October 2004 to September 2005.

In 2005 he was recognized by the U.S. News and World Report as one of America's 25 Best Leaders, and in 2007 he was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential leaders of the year and one of four runners-up for Time Person of the Year. Most recently, he was selected by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the world's top 100 public intellectuals and by Esquire magazine as one of the 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century.