[pbear8]

Last year was great with Mark Steyn, now we have Gen Abizaid on Tuesday and Michael Scheuer (CIA head of bin Laden desk 1999-2004).

It's free !! Be there.

[rogue yam]

Last year both Steyn lectures were followed by nice receptions with good food and free beer. Just sayin’.

[Syncro]

Sounds Interesting

During a distinguished career he commanded units at every level, serving in the combat zones of Grenada, Lebanon, Kurdistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Units under his command have included the 1st Infantry Division, a brigade in the 82nd Airborne Division, and two Ranger companies. Abizaid worked on the Joint Staff three times, the last as Director.

He studied at the University of Jordan in Amman, holds a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University, and is widely considered to be an expert in the field of Middle Eastern affairs. As such, Abizaid was one of the first to recognize the protracted nature of the ongoing conflict against religious-inspired extremists, which he has termed “The Long War.”

The 2008 Nimitz Lectureship Speaker

General John Abizaid

March 11th 2008

"Strategic Challenges in the Middle East"

7pm Tuesday March 11th

Berkeley Art Museum's Grand Theater

2626 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 94720

[Westbrook]

If I remember correctly, Abizaid was FIRED right around the time Rumsfeld tendered his “resignation”.

Then Abizaid started showing up on the talk circuit saying The Surge would never work.

That means he’s been wrong.

At least twice.

He is of Arab descent

I ... don’t ... trust ... Arabs.

[pbear8]

L - Do you have a local ping list that you could use for this?? Thanks.

[G8 Diplomat]

Abizaid spoke at my university as well, but unfortunately I had a math midterm at the same time so I couldn’t go. I did, however, get a chance to listen to Tahir al-Bakaa, the ex-Iraqi minister of education, speak and tell us about the military progress in Iraq and that withdrawing prematurely is a bad idea.

I’m sure UC Burkaley will love this.