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" And he's the man in charge of our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan his Central Command stretches from Kazakhstan. To -- Encompassing some of the world's most troubled patches in real estate. General David Petraeus was the man behind the surge success in Iraq and now under -- new commander in chief. He is focused on victory. In Afghanistan I sat down with the general yesterday we talked about interrogation techniques we talked about closing -- and whether the new president's efforts at greater diplomacy. Are starting to war."

" With Iraq. There are significant. Worries about the provocative actions by Iran where it still continues to arm train fund and direct. Extremist elements that cause problems in Iraq Lebanon Gaza and even in western Afghanistan to a much lesser degree. And of course there are they continued concerns about. Iran's apparent pursuit -- nuclear weapons technology and the means to deliver such weapons. You know the president has said he wanted to have a more open hand with regard to diplomacy. Do you see that having an impact there. Behavior in Iraq. Although it may have been less than it was say a couple of years ago we just. For example with our Iraqi partners found a very large cache of weapons -- these. Signature devices that come for -- on the explosively formed penetrator is in a variety of other. Types of weapons and explosives that again traced back to Iran so that is a continued concern for Iraq not just for us. It is a rock that is very concerned about the these activities that can undermine of course there -- efforts to sustain the gains that have been made in security in Iraq. So no change in terms of Iran's. Interaction. Behavior with regard to Iraq in the past several months. -- not that we have seen and again everyone is watching closely were all waiting to see in fact what. Might the result being that I don't think that that it's fair to judge it just yet I'm not sure there has really been a substantive. Kind of engagement that might be hope for and that could perhaps produce some results. Let's look a little bit about. About getting out what to do you know as the president gets -- it -- getting out. Where do you think those people -- ago. Well it. Not for a soldier to say what I do support is what has been termed I think a responsible. Closure of gitmo gitmo has caused us problems there's no question about it I. -- a region in which. The existence of gitmo has indeed been. Used by the enemy against us we have not been without missteps -- mistakes. In our activities since 9/11. And again gitmo is a lingering reminder. -- for the use of some in that regard having said that. I also don't want to see those individuals back on the streets. Trying to reactivate. Networks to a return to leadership in some of these networks."

" What about the concern you know having been so involved in all of this it you know that that it. Police Sheikh Mohammed or anybody of that ilk. Might be tried here in the US court and then the possibility that because of some of the treatments that -- used -- them that they could go free. Well first of --"

" Think we should be afraid to live our values that's what we're fighting for it's what we stand for and so indeed we need to embrace them and we need to operation lives them and how we carry out what it is we're doing on the battlefield and everywhere else. So what has to have some faith I think in the legal system one has to. Have a degree of confidence that individuals that have can conducted such X extremist activity would indeed be found guilty in."

" Our courts of law to your confident that that those people never afraid I certainly hope that's the case him. This former vice president has talked about waterboarding which -- spoken against. And he says that you know -- is -- three people and that he believes that is save lives."

" Well my thoughts are that it's time to quit arguing about the past probably take the rearview mirrors off this bus and look to the future and again if you start with the concept that we ought to live our values that's exactly what we should do as we move forward the argument for having that discussion now is that."

" There's always the possibility that a suspect could be in custody. And an attack could be imminent."

" Well I mean that's."

" Always a debate the doomsday scenario and that one I will have to be happy to leave with again are our judicial system. To determine whether there might. Be an exception that would require extraordinary but very rapid approval. To deal was. But for the vast majority of the cases are experience down range if you will. Is that the techniques that are in the army field manual that lays out how we treat detainees how we interrogate them. Those techniques work. That's our experience. In this business. So is sending this signal that happening is -- kind of techniques anymore what kind of impact does that have on people who do us -- it in the in the field that you apparatus. Well actually what I would ask is does that not take away from our enemies. Tool which again they've beaten us around the head and shoulders in the court of public opinion. One we have taken steps that have violated the Geneva convention. We rightly have been criticized and so as we move forward I think it's important to again. Live our values to live the agreements that we have made in the international justice arena. Into practice."