October 03, 2012
Lt. Gen. James Dubik (Ret.) to present "Iraq: Leadership Under Pressure"
Former general James Dubik, the 2012-2013 General Omar N. Bradley Chair in Strategic Leadership, will present “Iraq: Leadership under pressure,” an examination of civil-military leadership during the 2007-08 surge in Iraq at 7 p.m. on Oct. 22. During the surge, Gen. Dubik had command responsibility for training all Iraqi security forces, military and police as well as responsibility for advising the ministers of Defense and Interior.
“While we were trying to straighten things out people were dying every day,” he said, explaining the immense pressure on senior leaders to stabilize Iraq. Gen. Dubik has been critical of the management of police training in Iraq and Afghanistan. "The evidence suggests that the State Department never really engaged the Iraqis to find out what they needed and what they want," he told the New York Times on May 13. Prior to his command in Baghdad, Gen. Dubik commanded the I U.S. Corps in Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was responsible for training 40,000 soldiers for war and developing or continuing military relationships with Korea, Japan, and Thailand. In addition to his work in Iraq, Gen. Dubik was instrumental in accelerating the growth and proficiency of the Afghan National Security Forces.
Gen. Dubik's presentation, which is open to the public, will draw upon his experience and his extensive writing on the topic as a senior fellow at the Institute for the Study of War. Gen. Dubik is the author of “Operational Art in Counterinsurgency: A View from the Inside,” a case study of the counterinsurgency campaign in Iraq during 2007 and 2008; “Creating Police and Law Enforcement Systems,” and “Afghanistan: It's not Over.”
Gen. Dubik was commissioned an infantry officer after graduating from Gannon University in 1971. He has held numerous leadership and command positions with airborne, ranger, light and mechanized infantry units around the world including Deputy Commanding General Task Force Eagle and Multinational Division Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He holds a master's in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University. Gen. Dubik completed the Advanced Operations Studies Fellowship at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., and attended both Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Program for National and International Security and the National Security Leadership course at The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Gen. Dubik is the 2012-2013 Gen. Omar N. Bradley Chair, a faculty appointment shared among Penn State Law, Penn State School of International Affairs, Dickinson College, and the U.S. Army War College, all sponsors of this event. Its objective is to advance the study of strategic leadership and enhance civilian-military dialogue by offering distinguished individuals the opportunity to contribute to the educational and research activities of the partner institutions.
This event will be in the Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium in Lewis Katz Hall, 333 W. South St., Carlisle, Pa., simulcast to Lewis Katz Building in University Park, PA, and offered via live webcast.