On July 23, Gen. (Ret) David H. Petraeus, former commander in both Iraq and Afghanistan, will share his perspective on the current state of affairs in the Middle East and beyond... With a decorated, 37-year military career, and service in Cold War Europe, the United States, Central America, Haiti, Bosnia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, Gen. (Ret) David H. Petraeus has been hailed as one of the most brilliant and effective military leaders in recent U.S. history. In the decade that followed the 9/11 attacks, General David Petraeus served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, leading coalition forces in both countries.

As Commander of Coalition forces in Iraq, General Petraeus led the 2007-2008 surge, which helped stabilize a war-torn Iraq and set the stage for Iraqi sovereignty and eventual U.S. withdrawal. Following his 2011 military retirement, General Petraeus served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and has since been named a Partner with the global financial investment firm KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute.

As an expert military strategist, General Petraeus will offer his insights on the complexities underlying the seemingly intractable conflicts in the Middle East, U.S. Strategy against ISIL, the Syrian Civil War, and the impact of the Iranian Nuclear Deal. Concordia’s Roundtable will also explore questions surrounding U.S. National Security as well as the role of the U.S. and its allies in stabilizing a region that continues to be plagued by bloody civil conflict.