Petraeus: A defeat of ISIS is “a matter of time”

CENTRAL VALLEY –Former CIA Director and Army General David Petraeus told area political leaders Monday evening that although the military is strong, the country is in an especially complicated time with regards to global public and economic relations.
At the annual Orange County Republican Committee dinner in Central Valley, Petraeus, a native of Cornwall, said the country, by far, has the largest military budget and arsenal, but it is not a cause to become complacent.
“It’s true that there are many, many threats,” he said.
“It’s arguably the most complex array of threats we’ve
faced, perhaps in the post- Cold War era, certainly in recent decades
and our military does need to be strong.”
On that issue, Petraeus added that he believes a defeat of ISIS to be
only a matter of time; although Russia has some common interests, they
are still more foe than friend; and that the U.S.’s continuing relationship
with China will have to be very strategic.
“We’re going to have to go into everything with our eyes open,” said Petraeus.
Despite the former general coming to share his perspectives as an expert in global relations, he was also invited for another reason: to help raise money for the families of the military members lost in the Mississippi crash of a Stewart-based KC-130. It was a task he gladly accepted.  Revenues collected for the evening will go to support the local families of those killed in the crash.
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said the evening “was a phenomenal show of how strong our community is. The whole Hudson Valley came out to support this cause … we had family members here and it’s the right thing to do. You heal through tragedies by having everybody coming together.”