question joined by retired brigadier general david rieff sed he's vice president the potomac institute for policy studies strategy and planning division. brigadier general raised thanks for joining me let's let's start with iraq a brutal two thousand and thirteen do you believe that this violence is a consequence of the u.s. invasion of iraq in two thousand and three in the occupation that followed years after. sam i don't think it's a there's a direct correlation between our occupation and what's happening today i believe more than anything else it's the way the situation in iraq was left and then the power brokers inside iraq settling disputes or grasping for those elements which will give them control in the future within that country which is a very rich country relative towards natural resources and i think that's what a lot of the fights about at this point in time when you say how we left i remember in the two thousand election mccain john mccain caught a lot of flak because he said you know i'd stay there fifty years one hundred years as long as as long as it takes are you saying that the u.s. le

brigadier general david reste he's also the vice president strategy and planning at the potomac institute for policy studies thank you and as we transition into the new year there's at least one person who is grateful for the end of two thousand and thirteen are here david looks at president obama's trouble there and some of the stumbling blocks he faced. in the last few days billions of people around the world have been raising their glasses and saying cheers to the start of twenty fourteen but perhaps no one is excited to kiss two thousand and thirteen goodbye and more than president barack obama in fact it's something he addressed in his end of the year press conference after being asked if he thought it was the worst year of his presidency i have now been in office five years close to five years. was running for president for two years before that and for those of you who've covered me during that time we have had ups and we have that had downs and. if i look at this past year there are areas where there obviously been some frustrations where i wish congress had moved more aggressively while the preside

i spoke with retired brigadier general david williams is the vice president in the potomac institute for policy studies strategy and color printing division first ask him if you believe that the violence in iraq resulted from the us is two thousand three invasion and occupation that followed. our seminal tickets or there's a direct correlation between our occupation what's happening today. i believe more and anything else. it's the way the situation in iraq was well. and then the power brokers inside iraq. settling disputes or grasping for those elements which will give them control in the future within a country which is a very rich country bulletin boards natural resources and i think that's what a lot of points about at this point we say how we laughed i remember the two thousand election mccain and john mccain caught a lot of flak as you said you know i'd stay there fifty years a hundred years as long as the as long as it takes. are you saying that the us left iraq too soon. our. i don't think we left too soon because obviously the way our nation conduct war is engaged is based on the up local weat