Yesterday General David Petraeus handed over the flag of his command, known as the Multi-National Force in Iraq, to General Raymond Odierno. The ceremony, held at the U.S. military headquarters at Camp Victory on the western outskirts of Baghdad, was moving and memorable. Graced by the presence of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, it marked the completion of one of the most remarkable military tenures in American history. As Secretary Gates said, “He’s played a historic role . . . General Petraeus is clearly the hero of the hour.”

When General Petraeus took command in Iraq in February 2007, it was in a death spiral, teetering on the brink of a full-scale civil war. Petraeus faced the toughest situation he had encountered in more than three decades of military service, a situation that many analysts thought was hopeless.

In 19 months, General Petraeus achieved the closest thing to a battlefield miracle you are likely to witness in your lifetime. He certainly didn’t do this alone; we have fielded as fine a fighting force as the world has ever seen, and he has had many able men at his side, including General Odierno. But General Petraeus is the individual who led the effort, who rallied our side, who pushed back against those in the chain of command who opposed his efforts, and who successfully implemented the new counterinsurgency strategy. The U.S. military took on the role of “builders and diplomats, as well as guardians and warriors,” according to Petraeus.

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