Odierno Ready For New Post-Surge Mission

60 Minutes: Odierno Admits He Made Mistakes During His First Tour In Iraq

(CBS)  He went back to the States in 2004 to do a review, and to reflect. If he changed - and there are those who think he did - what happened to his 26-year-old son Tony may have contributed. When he was home, he got a phone call that Tony, then an Army lieutenant in Iraq, had been ambushed and seriously wounded.

"It was a tough time for us," Odierno recalled. "[Of] course you're a parent then, you know? You know, I'm a father. You know, once we heard he was okay, he'd lost his left arm, but he was okay. ‘Course the first reaction of any parent was we were glad he was alive."

Odierno says Tony is doing "wonderfully." "He's run two triathlons. He plays golf regularly."

This summer, Tony was an intern with the New York Yankees, his dad's favorite team since growing up in New Jersey. On July 4, Tony threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium.

Now Gen. Odierno says he's better at talking to the families of his wounded soldiers. "Sometimes as a commander, you feel uncomfortable in those situations. And I think I felt a bit more comfortable, because we had been through it a little bit. So we could relate to them as a parent."

As commanding general, he'll need that ability to "relate." An army helicopter had just gone down over Basra. It was the third day of his new job. "They were just coming into country from Kuwait. They were replacing another unit," Odierno explained.

Odierno said there were seven on board, all lost.

The burdens of his command weigh heavy. On top of that, he comes into his new job not knowing who his commander-in-chief is going to be.

Asked if he is a registered Republican or Democrat, Odierno told Stahl, "I will say this. I made a decision when I got promoted to colonel that I would no longer vote in national elections because I feel it's my job to serve the commander-in-chief. So I have not voted. Probably a bad American for not voting, but I made that decision because of the position that I have."

In his new position, he knows he has to quickly assert himself as the "leader." It doesn't hurt that he's real tall, at 6'5". It's said that he can be charismatic, and that his troops love him.

But when Stahl asked about the difficulty of following General Petraeus, the "warrior intellectual," he seemed a little touchy on the subject.

"I don't want to exaggerate, but he became somewhat of a hero. It has to be a little daunting," Stahl said.

"It's not uncomfortable for me to be here and feel that I have to, you know, live up to General Petraeus. I mean, I feel like I was also part of the success and part of the improvement that we made," Odierno replied.

An improvement that he says is "fragile" and so he must convince Iraqi leaders to do a better job of governing. If they don't, he fears a return to violence.

"Let me ask you about now, versus when Saddam Hussein was in power, is it better now?" Stahl asked an Iraqi man.

"Before Saddam time it used to be better," he said, with the help of a translator. "Essential services were much better, like power, electricity, water and something like that."

"So you liked it better before, after all of this?" Stahl asked.

"Of course, freedom is a nice thing, but still, we need some essential services," the Iraqi man replied.

Stahl asked what General Odierno thought of that.

"Well, I think if you don't have electricity, you don't have water, you don't have…it's pretty difficult," he said.

[divarty6]

Congratulations to Miss Stahl for a balanced piece on the new US Commander in Iraq, GEN Odierno. While it was good to see the goals that this West Pointer has set, I was dismayed; yes, disappointed to hear him say that he has not voted since his promotion to colonel. The USA is in Iraq to bring democracy to that nation, and one of the key elements to democracy is the right to vote on the leaders (and hence the policies) of government. I can understand why he does not wish to speak about political preferences, but I should think he would feel secure in the privacy of the voting booth. It is truly a shame that this senior military officer cannot exert his basic authority and rights as a citizen while he seeks to provide these rights for others.

[vaschroeder]

Shame on you, General Odierno! As other viewers, I also had to reread the interview to believe you do not vote in national elections!! We go around the world preaching democracy. In Iraq, the tragic death toll of both Americans and Iraqis is for the supposed goal of bringing about a democratic form of government that you choose to not even participate in. No one follows you into the voting booth. What a pathetic excuse you gave as for why you do not vote.I would prefer having a general leading our army that has a brain of his own, not one that he has apparently given to the commander in chief.

[dicinseattle]

A strong implication in this report is that the surge is working. Said often by Sen. McCain, and echoed by the media, it ignores much reality. Start with the platoon of body-armored and heavily-armed troops protecting the general and Leslie on their stroll thru the market. Add the fact that most of Baghdad is divided by walls and checkpoints separating Sunni from Shiite. Then consider the estimated 4.5 million internally and externally displaced Iraqis who fled their homes in fear of their neighbors and the militias. And don''t forget that the US is paying the salaries of the armed Sunni Awakening Council, and that the Shiite-dominated government is reluctant to include these enforcers in its police and standing army. All of this suggests that the surge has provided at best a short-term cessation of the sectarian revenge taking and murderous violence that, with or without al Qaeda, will return at some point unless there is a religious/political coming together. Question: Why doesn''t 60 minutes report the full story?

[vinzenzo-2009]

General O is a true patriot and I sleep soundly at night knowing that he is protecting us and our troops. Is Leslie Stahl that full of herself that she walks around without a bullet proof vest?

[pattbo]

Did I hear Mr Macho General Odierno call Leslie Stahl "HONEY" I found that tacky and if he did Ms Stahl should be very offended.

[cmmck]

I was appalled when Gen. Odierno stated that he had not voted in a national election since he was promoted to Cl. As a member of the military, he should be ready to support his Commander and Chief no matter what his personal political affilations. In addition, the President''s role and responsibilities far exceed those limited to the military. As an American citizen, especially one who is responsibile for upholding our values and leading by example, he should be embarassed to admit in public that he does not participate in the very democracy he is charged with defending. What does this say to all those currently and throughout our history who sacrificed everything to maintain and protect this basic right!

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by Nancy_Naive

The average Dutch person is 4 inches taller than the average American.

[concernedme]

I had to reread the interview to actually see if I misheard the general say "he doesn''t vote in national elections!" I''m at a loss for words. Shame on you General O. for the poor example you are setting for those who are maimed and dying for the very people who would welcome and embrace that privilege. Shame on you.

[concernedme]

I had to reread the interview to actually see if I misheard the general say "he doesn''t vote in national elections!" I''m at a loss for words. Shame on you General O. for the poor example you are setting for those who are maimed and dying for the very people who would welcome and embrace that privilege. Shame on you.

[concernedme]

I had to reread the interview to actually see if I misheard the general say "he doesn''t vote in national elections!" I''m at a loss for words. Shame on you General O. for the poor example you are setting for those who are maimed and dying for the very people who would welcome and embrace that privilege. Shame on you.

[concernedme]

I had to reread the interview to actually see if I misheard the general say "he doesn''t vote in national elections!" I''m at a loss for words. Shame on you General O. for the poor example you are setting for those who are maimed and dying for the very people who would welcome and embrace that privilege. Shame on you.

[ray999999]

Gen. Ray Odierno or should i say G.W.Bush jr. war monger idiots

[bremertonwa_]

I agree with perform421 only I would like to add, did you really research this story? It was mentioned the electricity infrastructure was not restored. That is not true either. Shame on you for presenting such treasonous information!

[cjcregg1]

Why is that no one ever mentions the dearth of women in these stories. Almost everyone that is interviewed or seen on the street is male. The women are all burka''d and moving quickly...

Women had a role in the old Iraq. Now they are just in the margins. I can''t believe that Leslie didn''t bring it up. Did she not notice?

[perform421]

Here we go again, I wonder how long it took to find people to agree that living under Sadam was better than with the Americans. Leslie, you can''t be trusted.

[c13513]

Simple question...How much did it cost me (taxpayer) for your reporter to walk around in this puff piece without armor? Everyone in the picture had body armor except your reporter...Already on the hook for 7 Bil...

[nicholasma]

No Bail out !!!!!!!!
We have no voice !!!!!
If you bail wall street out then who needs the law
you would not bail out the farmers just scum on wall street

[babooph]

Unlike his C in C-he feels he is not a one trick pony-hope he is right !

[bob5ford]

While we are tied up in the middle east the Russian navy is steaming toward Venezuela for maneuvers with Venezuela''s navy(?) and there are already several Russian bombers in Caracas. The Russian navy in The Gulf of Mexico folks! Which is the bigger threat to us here at home, rag heads in Asia fighting among themselves or Venezuela and Bolivia backed by Russia only 500 miles away?????

[terrapin78]

If he makes one more mis-step (mistake) in Iraq, it should be the end of his military career!