CENTCOM on Bahrain Human Rights Atrocities – Business as Usual

CENTCOM commanders discuss regional security issues in Bahrain
by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Schaeffer
US Naval Forces Central Command

MANAMA, Bahrain (May 28, 2009) – Commanders from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility gathered in Bahrain May 20 – 22, for the USCENTCOM Commander’s Conference to discuss regional security issues and approaches to these challenges.

The conference, hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, brought together Gen. David Petraeus, Commander, USCENTCOM, Gen. Ray Odierno, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, Commander, NAVCENT, Lt. Gen. William Webster, Commanding General, U.S. Army Central Command and Lt. Gen. Gary North, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, among others.

At the conference, commanders discussed various issues including operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, as well as counter-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia.

“We face, in this region, a number of interrelated threats and challenges, from transnational to state-centric, to those who blur the lines between the two,” said Petraeus. “At the transnational level, violent extremism is, needless to say, the most pressing challenge. Al-Qaeda and its affiliates pose the greatest such threat to many states in the region.” …more