Presidential Oral Histories

John Abizaid Oral History

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John Abizaid Oral History

Background Materials PDF

About this Interview

Job Title(s)

Commander of the U.S. Central Command

John Abizaid discusses his military career, early influences, and experiences in the Middle East; intelligence before 9/11 (September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks); alleged connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda before the Iraq War; entering the Iraq War; postinvasion plans and de-Ba'athification; training Iraqi security forces; the Abu Ghraib scandal; evolution of al-Qaeda and ISIS (Islamic State); the Iraq War troop surge; interactions with President Bush, and the roles of Iraqi leaders such as Ayad Allawi and Nouri al-Maliki.

Participants
Russell L. Riley, chair
Barbara A. Perry
Marc Selverstone
Spencer Bakich

Interview Date(s)

The views expressed by the interviewee in this interview and reprinted in this transcript are not those of the University of Virginia, the Miller Center, or any affiliated institutions.

Timeline Preview

2001 September
Al-Qaeda launches terrorist attacks against the U.S. on the 11th. Lt. General John Abizaid is overseas in Ukraine at the time of the attacks.
2001 September
On the 12th, Abizaid returns to the U.S. with a group of Pentagon personnel that includes Doug Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, J.D. Crouch, assistant secretary of defense for international policy, Peter Rodman, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, and William Luti, Rodman’s deputy for Near East and South Asia affairs.
2001 September
Abizaid sends Brig. General Kevin Chilton to Pakistan to negotiate overflight permission through Pakistani air space and to Uzbekistan to negotiate rights to a U.S. air base.
2001 September
At a National Security Council (NSC) meeting at Camp David on the 15th, Bush decides to focus the immediate U.S. response to 9/11 on those directly responsible for the terrorist attacks, al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
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Other Appearances

Strategic Challenges in the Middle East
America's troubled history in Afghanistan
View all George W. Bush interviews

Transcript

John Abizaid
John Abizaid

The General John Abizaid oral history may be read by prior arrangement in hard copy at the Miller Center’s Scripps Library in Charlottesville. It may be used only for research and educational purposes and may not be quoted without General Abizaid’s express written permission. Please Contact Us to access the interview at the Miller Center.