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To: Calpernia
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. He is Christian and if I remeber correctly, his parents fled Lebanon to avoid persecution. here is his official bio from CENTCOM:


Lieutenant General Abizaid assumed duties as the Deputy Commander (Forward) for Combined Forces Command, U.S. Central Command in January 2003.

Lieutenant General Abizaid was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in June 1973. He started his career with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as a rifle and scout platoon leader. He commanded companies in the 2nd and 1st Ranger Battalions, leading a Ranger Rifle Company during the invasion of Grenada.

Lieutenant General Abizaid commanded the 3rd Battalion, 325th Airborne Battalion combat Team in Vicenza, Italy, during the Gulf crisis and deployed with the battalion to Kurdistan in Northern Iraq. His brigade command was the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. He served as the Assistant Division Commander, 1st Armored Division, in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Following that tour, he served as the 66th Commandant at West Point. Most recently, he commanded 1st Infantry Division, the “Big Red One,” in Wurzburg. The 1st Infantry Division formed the core of Task Force Falcon in Kosovo.

Staff assignments include a tour with the United Nations as operations officer for Observer Group Lebanon and a tour in the Office of the Chief of the Staff, U.S. Army. European staff tours include assignments in both the Southern European Task Force and Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe. Lieutenant General Abizaid also served as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of Strategic Plans and Policy (J5) on the Joint Staff and Director of the Joint Staff.

Lieutenant General Abizaid’s military education includes Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced courses, Armed Forces Staff College, and a U.S. Army War College Senior Fellowship at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. In his civilian studies, he earned a Master of Arts degree in Area Studies at Harvard University, and was an Olmsted Scholar at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan.

His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with five Oak Leaf Clusters and the Bronze Star. He earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge with Gold Star, Ranger Tab and the Expert Infantryman’s Badge.

Lieutenant General Abizaid is a native of Coleville, California. He is married and they have three children
73 posted on 07/04/2003 5:24:32 AM PDT by judicial meanz
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To: judicial meanz
Happy 4th to you. Thanks for the follow up. I did get some great info on L.G. Abizaid. I'm am now pleased he will be our new Deputy Commander (no disrespect to Franks, he will be missed).

Hope you had a great day today. We had perfect weather.
76 posted on 07/04/2003 7:44:15 PM PDT by Calpernia (Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.)
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