The Center for International Strategy, Technology and Policy in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs welcomed U.S. CENTCOM Commander and Army General David H. Petraeus to campus January 19.

The 90 minute Q&A may be viewed at the link provided at the bottom of this story.

Petraeus offered brief remarks then took questions, offering the audience of 1,000 a chance to direct the conversation. By Petraeus' request, students were given priority at the microphone. Topics ranged from Afghanistan to Yemen.

A Colonel Leslie Callahan Memorial Endowment Lecture, the Q &A was moderated by Sam Nunn School of International Affairs Associate Professor Adam N. Stulberg. The audience included students, faculty, and staff from the Ivan Allen College and Georgia Tech, alumni, President G.P. "Bud" Peterson and his wife Val, members of the Atlanta community, and distinguished guests including former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, U.S. House Representative Phil Gingrey, and members of the Georgia General Assembly.

"I stand here representing 200,000 men and women in uniform, and tens of thousands of civilian employees," Petraeus said. He recognized fellow members of his West Point Class of 1974 who were in the audience saying, "It is an honor to serve with them."

Petraeus gave a quick but comprehensive overview of current operations in Afghanistan and a look back at Iraq before and after a 30,000-troop surge in 2007. He said incidents of violence have increased in intensity yearly since the initial defeat of Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan.

"I remember telling [then-Defense] Secretary [Donald] Rumsfeld in 2005 that Afghanistan would be the longest of the long wars," he said. "Our major objective [in Afghanistan] is to remove the Taliban expansion " to begin a transition in 2011 to Afghan forces."

Petraeus spoke about how modern military campaigns have changed from past wars.

"It's not just about planting flags," he said. "Al Qaeda is more than just a group of terrorists: It is an advanced network, and must be fought as such."

Petraeus outlined the CENTCOM's "Anaconda" strategy for dealing with Al Qaeda, adding that counter terrorist forces are working to squeeze all aspects of that network. By uniting intelligence efforts, working to improve education and jobs programs in Iraq and Afghanistan, and boosting interagency cooperation, constant pressure will be applied to each part of the network.

Petraeus addressed questions on U.S. relations and involvement with Pakistan and Yemen. "We have a " trust-deficit' in Pakistan," he said. "We have left Pakistan twice in the past, and must amend that by building relationships. It will take a sustained investment."

In response to a question about a statement by Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman that 'Yemen will be tomorrow's war,' Petraeus said, "Central Command has been focused on Yemen for a couple of years now... It's important we build relationships."

When asked to compare the current situation in Afghanistan with Vietnam, Petraeus answered that he would avoid making comparisons. "The most important lesson in history is that every situation is unique," he said. "The key to [achieving success] is recognizing those unique elements." In comparing Afghanistan with Iraq, he noted several challenges: Iraq has a more urban landscape and education is more accessible, while Afghanistan is more rural, with an increased importance on the roles of tribes in society.

He responded to a question from audience members about his experience in earning his master's and doctoral degrees from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. "I learned in graduate school that there were people""who were extremely intelligent""who held different views from mine," he said. "I wanted to know why. It really helped me in Iraq. Not everybody sees the world from the same scenery, [a position] that needs to be developed by those of us in the military."

Although he chose not to discuss any "hypothetical" situation regarding reports of Iran's increasing involvement in developing nuclear weapons, he did say there was a level of discontent and protest within the country not seen in recent years.

Outside the Ferst Center where the talk was held, a small group of anti-war demonstrators were handing out flyers and other information, but there were no outbursts or interruptions of the general's lecture. Roughly half-way through the event, a handful of protestors inside the theater and wearing T-shirts reading "Say No to Endless War" stood up and turned their backs to the stage. When venue security asked them to sit down or leave, all quietly left the auditorium.

The lecture was arranged by the Center for International Strategy, Technology and Policy (CISTP), the interdisciplinary policy research arm of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, and The Colonel Leslie Callahan Memorial Endowment, established by former Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Col. Leslie Callahan.

During his time on campus, Petraeus met with Georgia Tech President G.P. "Bud" Peterson, Ivan Allen College Interim Dean Ken Knoespel, Acting Chair of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs Brian Woodall, CISTP co-Director Adam Stulberg, Georgia Tech Research Institute Director Steve Cross, College of Engineering Dean Don Giddens, Associate Vice President for Communications & Marketing James Fetig, and CISTP Program Coordinator Angela Levin. At his request, he also met with ROTC students - Army, Airforce, and Navy senior classmen and their unit leaders.

As Commanding General of the Multi-National Force "" Iraq, Petraeus was the architect and leader of the June 2007 "surge" in Iraq where a change in tactics backed by an influx of about 30,000 additional troops seized the initiative from the insurgents. He assumed command of the United States Central Command in October 2008 and oversees a "whole government approach" to operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. CENTCOM has been the main American presence in many military operations, including the Gulf War and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Petraeus was commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1974. He holds MPA and PhD degrees in international relations from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

Colonel Leslie Callahan, for whom the memorial endowment is named, joined the Georgia Tech Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) faculty in 1969 after a twenty-five year military career. He established the Callahan Endowment in 1993.

Thank you to Robert Nesmith of GT Communications for significant contributions to this article.