Exactly 13 years after the Sept. 11 Al Qaeda attacks on the American homeland, retired General David H. Petraeus, commander of American troops during combat surges in both Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 and later the Director of the CIA, addressed about 2,000 people at an anniversary commemoration held at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in downtown Denver.

Sponsored by the Colorado Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab and co-hosted by Gov. John Hickenlooper, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and The Denver Post, a sell-out crowd attended the “Colorado Remembers 9/11” event which featured a discussion of emerging threats to U.S. security. The evening before, President Barrack Obama had addressed the nation about measures that would be taken against ISIL, the acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The CELL event one night later provided Petraeus a timely forum to discuss the serious situation which has many countries on edge.

At a VIP reception beforehand, about a hunded guests were allowed to have their photos taken with Petraeus during a brief photo op, but the General’s speaking contract specified that no media interviews were to be allowed. His official presentation afterwards took the form of an informal discussion with Andy Alexander, former Washington Post editor and now Washington Bureau Chief for Cox News.

Alexander, a Pulitzer Prize winner for national reporting, questioned Petraeus for about 70 minutes, keying in on a range of mostly international issues. Petraeus enjoys a reputation that hearkens back centuries to the philosopher/warriors of previous ages. Both a scholar and a soldier, he earned his Doctorate as well as authoring the U. S. Army’s manual for waging counter-insurgency campaigns.

Asked to comment on the President’s speech the previous day, Petraeus was solidly complimentary about the course of action adopted by the Obama White House. He indicated that criticism of the President for failing to provide sufficient details about our strategy was misdirected. “In my experience you don’t tell your opponent what you plan to do. Better they learn when you show up,” he observed.

Petraeus expressed his conviction, despite recent polling results finding that Americans feel less safe since the emergence of ISIL, that we are in fact “…much better prepared than we were in 2001.” He strongly endorsed the rumored selection of Marine Corps General John Allen to coordinate an allied military response, someone he had worked with in the past to help Sunni leaders quell insurgents. He also spoke positively regarding the battlefield potential of the Iraqi Defense Forces as the on the ground component for a pending campaign.

“We made a lot of progress training these forces. Recently they’ve suffered from poor leadership and political pressure, but that is about to change,” he observed. When asked. “How far will air strikes get us?” he responded, “A long way,” adding “I am a realist — (it) is all hard all the time in Iraq.” He believes that the reconciliation required to establish a united front against ISIL will have to be done by the Iraqis this time around. He was nowhere near as optimistic about the situation in Syria, which he labeled as “complex,” observing that even the enemies of your enemy remain your enemy there.

When asked to recount his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, Petraeus always identified how many stars he was wearing at any particular point in time. “When I was a two (or three or four) star,” prefaced each remark. While this delineation speaks to his personal authority at the time, these distinctions were largely lost on much of his audience. It was evident he carries huge respect for the courage and capability of the young men and women who served under him, declaring them “…our next greatest generation” — the sole remark to produce thunderous applause. Petraeus explained that their commitment “…to a cause larger than themselves” was “…noble and honorable” and deserves to be honored. Consequently, he has not and will never take a position on whether the Iraq invasion was a mistake. In response to another question, he commented offhandedly, “I was doing other things in Baghdad,” which set off a wave of giggles and titters proving his illicit affair with his biographer is an albatross he will likely carry to his grave.

He referred to Russia as “…a gas station with guns,” and agreed that Putin is a “highly unpredictable” leader. Viewing him as more determined to re-establish the Czarist Empire than the Soviet Union, Petraeus appraised him as more a nuisance than a threat. As far as the Ukraine goes he indicated that the number one priority for the West has to be restoring the Ukrainian economy after decades of kleptocratic leadership. He sees Poroshenko as a promising leader to accomplish this.

When asked whether he might get involved in politics, he said absolutely not. Reporting with some astonishment about individuals who have approached him, promising to raise millions on his behalf, he noted, “I’m rarely asked what my position is on issues. I suspect neither [of the parties] would be enthusiastic about me as a candidate.”

The CELL is dedicated to preventing terrorism through education, empowerment and engagement. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan institution, its one-of-a-kind exhibit, renowned speaker series and training initiatives provide a comprehensive look at the threat of terrorism and how individuals can play a role in preventing and counter terrorism, ultimately enhancing public safety.

Rick Brown, COO of Mizel Financial Holdings, left, greets Gen. David Petraeus after the official program has ended.

Photos by Jody Hope Strogoff/The Colorado Statesman

— mnhwriter@msn.comSee the September 12 print edition for full photo coverage.