"Our Generation's Fight against Radical Islam: Wars, Words, and Ideas," was the topic of Capt Pete Hegseth’s remarks on Wednesday, September 15th. Pete Hegseth is the executive director of Vets for Freedom and a captain in the Army National Guard.

Captain Hegseth spoke about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, specifically addressing the policy of declaring a timeline for withdrawal in Afghanistan and the recent conclusion to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Likewise, he addressed the current President's unwillingness to use the word "win" in either theatre, and reluctance to call the enemy by its true name. Finally, he outlined what America must be willing to do to handle the ideological threat posed by adherents of radical Islam, like Al Qaeda.

After graduating from Princeton, Captain Hegseth was commissioned into the U.S. Army in 2003. A year later he served in Guantanamo Bay on a security mission with his National Guard unit and subsequently volunteered to join the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division for the deployment to Iraq from 2005-2006. Capt. Hegseth served as an infantry Platoon Leader in Baghdad and Samarra, and has been awarded the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and Bronze Star for his service. He is currently slated to deploy to Afghanistan in the first half of 2011.

Suggested reading:
What Was Missing from the President’s Speech, by Pete Hegseth, NRO, 09-01-10
The Death of al-Qaeda’s Number Three, by Pete Hegseth, NRO, 06-01-10
National Security, an Afterthought, by Pete Hegseth, NRO, 01-28-10

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