You're watching...
“All In” author Paula Broadwell on Gen. David Petraeus’ military leadership, particularly in Afghanistan.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
-- General David Petraeus -- the counterinsurgency in Afghanistan that many say turn the war around.
Certainly in Iraq.
My next guest was embedded with general got to see first and the struggles and frustrations he faced dealing with the war on terror joining me now the author of all Leon the education -- General David Petraeus -- abroad well and follow up for volume also were in the military stand so this was after you read you're in the reserves.
I'm now in a reserve officer mr.
-- and but this was.
Kind of after year active duty period.
That's correct -- I was on active duty for five years and left death active duty in moments later one months later 9/11 happened -- -- got recalled.
In voluntarily somewhat but very happily once I got there because that the war on terror is really sort of dampen their -- Purpose for all of us -- -- you know focused on something very real the real imminent threat.
Says he recalled to active duty three times in -- into the inactive ready reserve and nine in the actors there.
OK so you are that you wanted to get a plug it used the proceeds are going of this yet are going to.
The proceeds of a majority of the proceeds are going to a group called team red white and blue.
Which is a veteran support organization that helps wounded warriors especially those with invisible wounds like post dramatic stress disorder traumatic brain injury and so forth to.
Find their new normal to reintegrate into society.
Others an epidemic problem going on with that veteran community right now those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Approximately half million veterans that's a large portion of our society.
Are suffering from this and -- clinically diagnosed at VA they're probably more than -- coming forward because there's a negative stigma attached to it that.
I feel like it's our turn to give back to them if they've given us so much in these work hours in the past and what.
What why this were -- than others not what was the difference we should appreciate all -- intervention yourself and I think here -- for your service and news veterans and in troopers who served and in previous wars have gone through this as well but and I'm trying to help my generation and give backing I I saw.
Up up front and personal at some of those guys are dealing with the burdens of command to near the heavy ruck -- and seeing their their friends and colleagues dismembered and more.
And having to deal with and having to managing their families that -- stressed out about this for years on and so are children.
So you so you how you get to know the general and and he's a big guy that loves to mentor people young officers like -- -- so how.
You go out you follow this guy everybody says all of this man is such of the leveraging his oldest man is seen do we -- things that nobody else has ever done.
For true.
He is credit genius in -- because I think he's able to balance so many different income levels of thinking -- -- can look at the strategy can look at diplomacy.
And he can manage 49 coalition partners in a war but he can also be very aware what's going on in the ground situation -- he has this ability to sort of transcend all those levels.
I don't think all senior military officers -- There are many -- to do but I don't think Austin happened but but the military is -- for good reason it's fair restructured.
In one man can't change.
That structured I believe that does sound like he had well that's how the solar research project started I was reading my doctoral dissertation in it was a look at how maverick when -- from within the organization can galvanize institutional transformation.
In so I was looking at him as a case study and had other historical case studies that.
What was his role and and galvanizing -- doctrinal change organizational change leadership development change and so forth I think -- a lot to do with that.
-- he inspires a generation of of young -- soldier scholar diplomats young officers to.
Think that you know -- -- it could be something they like to deal whereas in the military typically wanted to follow certain.
Number of of operational jobs to get those you know stars and bars if you will I think he's shown that you can kind of have it -- and should get outside of your intellectual comfort zone.
To expand your horizons and be able to think like he doesn't you know.
All right let me let me bring up kind of untenable school and the -- -- Vietnam War changed the military Washington ran the military they told the military what to do in Vietnam.
Ever since then and this is when General Petraeus was coming out of West Point was after that and this is a point where -- -- -- There are people in this country that say the military.
Should be a warrior.
And go out and in crush things and break things and until people in and talker that's what the military is for -- -- not very -- Bill -- to plant flowers in and so.
This is a guidance is no no no we need this kind of touchy Feely PC and there's a lot of people say that's not for the military that's for the peace corps.
Well there's an old saying nice sensitive he who adopts fastest wins in the military -- -- at the organization has to adapt because enemies adapting.
If we're faced with an enemy who is you know trying to an hearts and minds of the population and it's incumbent on us that protect them and help them protect themselves eventually.
We need to have officers and soldiers that are willing and able to do that.
-- I think he believes and I believe myself having served -- this that our military needs to maintain readiness for full spectrum operations everything from a conventional more.
To cyber warfare in the other threats that are you know -- on the horizon to this type of counterinsurgency -- from.
Definitely not large scale boots on the ground in the future we seeing the cost in blood and treasure -- -- nation but it is something we're likely to face in future if you look at the trends in conflict.
That's another whole debate we can you do does show about that followed rod well thank you so much of book is very very interest and thank you -- Holland thanks for having.
