i am indeed honored to be here and honored to call dave petraeus a friend. irst really got to know dave in 2004, i was gratified to learn we had some important things in common. we were both vorrashese readers. we both realized that the lessons of vietnam would forever permeate our perspectives. and we both made a good decision early in life when we married women blessed with a strong spirit of service and let's be honest, a great deal of tolerance as well. dave, at that time, had just returned to iraq. and after a few short months at home was overseeing a herk lean task organizing and training a new iraqi army amidst the very challenging security environment. i was impressed with his energy, his innovative thinking, and his resolve. and by the time he left in late 2005, he had grown the ranks to nearly 200,000 iraqi soldiers and police. a force that would prove crucial to winning the peace in the years that followed. and while this achievement by any measure would be considered astounding, i frankly wasn't that surprised. because by this time i knew like so

i'm indeed honored to be here and honored to call dave petraeus a friend. ns from vietnam would fever permeate our perspectives and married women blessed with strong spirited service, and let's be honest, a great deal of tolerance as well. dave at that time had just returned to iraq and after a few short months at home, was overseaing a task organizing and training a new iraqi army amid a very challenging security environment. he was impressed with his energy, innovative thinking, and his results. by the time he left in late 2005, he had grown the ranks to nearly 200,000 iraqi soldiers and police, a force that would prove crucial to winning the peace in the years that followed. while this achievement by any measure would be considered astounding, i frankly wasn't that surprised because by this time i knew like so many before me, that when it comes to the art of the possible, there's general dave petraeus and then there's everybody else. i suspect it's been that way for a long, long time. this was the young local boy who would sneak into west point to play on

. >> first day on the job for dave petraeus at the cia as the new director.and noteworthy army career. now he puts on the gray suit. he might be putting on a business suit but is he still the general? the cia is involved in lots of joint operations with the u.s. military conducting counterterrorism operations. we saw it in pakistan on the raid to kill osama bin laden. we're seeing more and more of it in places like pakistan, yemen, somalia, so a lot of people are saying dave petraeus may no longer be owe officially an army general but a lot of what he'll be doing at the cia is essentially running joint operations, very secret wars with the u.s. military. brooke? >> it's funny to see him in a suit, is it not? we're used to seeing him highly decorated, now in a suit and tie >> he's in a suit and tie, hair looks a little bit longer. i think he's sort of getting into the washington groove just a little bit. >> yep, we should mention secretary gates looking to be chancellor at william & mary. >> held a similar post at texas a&m. william panetta came from the cia a

the intelligence community, certainly cia and myself are all extremely fortunate that a man of dave petraeuscapability, stature, leadership, and patriotism continues to serve and in this critical position, so i'm pleased and proud to be his teammate. this past week has seen many reflections on those terrible events ten years ago, reflections that have centered on the impact of the attacks on the state of the terrorist threat today. as you did here this morning in your statements. we remember the people who perished and the sacrifices made by the family and loved ones they left bind. for example, last friday, we remembered by name, or as many as we could name, each of the 16116 intelligence -- 116 intelligence community members, both military and civilian lost on 9/11 and in the decade since. the attacks were the work o

the intelligence community, certainly cia and myself are all extremely fortunate that a man of dave petraeus' capability, stature, leadership, and patriotism continues to serve and in this critical position, so i'm pleased and proud to be his teammate. this past week has seen many reflections on those terrible events ten years ago, reflections that have centered on the impact of the attacks on the state of the terrorist threat today. as you did here this morning in your statements. we remember the people who perished and the sacrifices made by the family and loved ones they left bind. for example, last friday, we remembered by name, or as many as we could name, each of the 16116 intelligence -- 116 intelligence community members, both military and civilian lost on 9/11 and in the decade since. the attacks were the work of al-qaeda. that organization is clearly not what it was a decade ago. the releaptless pressure we exerted on al-qaeda forced it to change, weakened its central character and capabilities, and caused it to seek other modes of operation. we vigorously attacked its leadership,

the intelligence community, certainly cia and myself are all extremely fortunate that a man of dave petraeus' capability, stature, leadership, and patriotism continues to serve and in this critical position, so i'm pleased and proud to be his teammate. this past week has seen many reflections on those terrible events ten years ago, reflections that have centered on the impact of the attacks on the state of the terrorist threat day. as you did here this morning in your statements. we remember the people who perished and the sacrifices made by the family and loved ones they left bind. for example, last friday, we remembered by name, or as many we could name, each of the 16116 intelligence -- 116 inllence community members, both military and civilian lost on 9/11 and in the decade since. the attacks were the work of alqaeda. that organization is clearly not what it was a decade ago. the releaptless pressure we exerted on al-qaeda forced it to change, weakened its central character and capabilities, and caused it to seek other modes of operation. we vigorously attacked its leadership, striving t

was dave petraeus the guy in eighth grade who was always raising his hand?for class. he was always -- always had that smile. >> reporter: at west point, the yearbook describes a cadet always going for it in sports, academics, leadership, and even his social life. that was a reference to the young woman petraeus was dating. the daughter of the west point superirintendent who remains at petraeus' side with their two children. and that cia job that awaits? don't expect this very public figure to disappear entirely from the spotlight. martha raddatz, abc news, washington. >> wow, in between his duty ovovseas now headingngp the cia. hard to imagine anyone in the st few years has had a more prominent role in the country's anti-terror efforts. >> petraeus moved into the job when general stanley mcchrystal was moved out. and it's been quite a succession. >> 40-year military man and a daunting task still ahead of him. we all wish him well. >> indeed. >>> in other news, hundreds of homes in texas and oklahoma are still at risk because of wildfires ravaging the region.

of national intelligence to it he may ask to bring another head of an intelligence service like dave petraeus at the cia or another one of the service is at work and the constellation of 16 or 17 intelligence organizations that takes place and then we will have kind of a policy briefing that i would leave, and analysis of the intelligence, its implications, and then the three or four or five or six most important things going on in the world that day. there may be three or four decisions we want to reach during the course of that that have come up during the course of the 24 hours since the last briefing. the principal people who do this again at the head of the intelligence services and then myself, dennis mcdonough of the national security adviser, tony lincoln was of the national security advisor and john brennan who is a intelligence adviser and that is the core group that meets every morning. it's a very efficient way i think and it lasts between 30 to 40 minutes every morning. it's an efficient way to have a continuing conversation and focus on the key issues in front of the president a

he may ask to bring another head of an intelligence service like dave petraeus or another one of the services and the constellation of 16 or 17 intelligence organizations. that takes place and then we have a sort of policy briefing i would lead and an analysis of its implications and then the three or four or five or six most important things going on in the world that day there may be three or four decisions we want to reset the date to reach during the course of that but it does not come up in the course of the 24 hours since the last briefing. but the principal people who do this again the head of the intelligence service and then myself, dennis is the principal deputy national security officer, tony who is the national studio president john brennan and that is the core group that meets every morning. it's a very efficient way i think and lasts between 30 to 40 minutes every morning. it's an efficient way to have a kind of continuing conversation and focusing on the key issues in front of the president and the country. as black as the president purport to read things or how do you

i know dave and holly are pleased to have their children n andtephen here to -- an steven. stephen petraeuss father in baghdad to tell him he wanted to go into the army, dave's reaction was a smart one. he said, you better call your mother. then he said i did. she told me to call you. i am glad my house was not the only one that works the way. well done and welcome back. after hearing a little bit about the year you had, i wonder if your sister's plan to spend the next year in chapel hill is not starting to look pretty good. i am honored about -- to be here and honored to call david petraeus a friend. when i got to know him i was gratified to learn he had some important things in common. we were both a voracious readers and realize the lessons of vietnam would forever permeate our perspectives. we made a decision when we married women blessed with a strong spirit of service. and a great deal of tolerance as well. dave had returned to iraq and -- at a few short months of home, [unintelligible] i was impressed with his energy, his innovative thinking, and his resolve -- results. by the time h

petraeus, i am so sorry. [laughter] >> i just did not recognize you. dave is here today as the director of the cia.hank you, dave, i owe you one. if you really want to know what i told marty, it is pretty simple, he is not just the adviser, he is a personal representative of the men and women that make up all our armed forces and their families. i told him he had a bully pulpit in this job and he should use it to stress their needs and their accomplishments. they will not ask for the help, but they will need it. they will not ask for anything more than his leadership, and sometimes, try as he might, he will believe he has fallen far short. if i told them he will never be more proud than what he stood among the ranks of troops from other services and find that they share the same professionalism, pride, and determination, that i, as a sailor, saw in his shoulders -- soldiers. he should not wear one of those dear patches for seasickness. they work ok, they just do not look very good. [laughter] >> i called -- i told of his fellow chiefs of defense are really the only other people in the world that ha