Russia certainly a threat to US and allies: Petraeus

Russia is certainly one of the "threats" to the US and its allies, a former CIA chief who is in consideration for the top diplomatic position in the incoming Trump Administration said today.
"Russia certainly is one of the threats, one of the challenges to our security and that of our allies and partners around the world," General (rtd) David Petraeus, former CIA Director and Commander of US Central Command, told ABC News.
Petraeus is in consideration for the position of Secretary of State in the Donald Trump Administration.
"It is also a feature of the landscape. There are issues in which we do have convergences and I don't think you would rule out at all discussions at some point in time with Russia about issues such as the defeat of the Islamic State, such as the ultimate resolution in Syria, obviously about the challenges of the Russian-supported separatists in southeastern Ukraine," he said in response to a question.

Petraeus met Trump in New York last week.
"I think he's actually quite pragmatic. In our conversation what I enjoyed most frankly was the discussion of issues, or say campaign rhetoric, if you will, and then placing that in a strategic context. As an example, he is not anti-trade, he is anti-unfair trade," the former US commander said.

The wall along the Mexico-border, he said, would be an element in a comprehensive effort to shore up security on the southern border.
This as he discussed with Trump "would include more help to Mexico for the problems" that it has in the broader rule of law and perhaps with its southern border, which is so challenged.

"We talked about all of those kinds of issues. These are issues with which I had concern, needless to say, and it was good to discuss the strategic context in which each of those would be placed," said Petraeus, who maintained neutrality in the just concluded general elections.
The issue with Mexico, he said, would be to determine together how they could improve the status of the security, while certainly not impeding the flow of commerce back and forth that is so very important to both of the countries.
"Indeed, it's notable that the President-elect has already gained agreement from President Pena and I believe with the Canadian Prime Minister, as well, to sit down, to examine issues in NAFTA," he said.

Petraeus stressed on focusing on defeat of ISIS and then resolving the Syria issue.
"Let's first of all focus on the defeat of Daesh, of the Islamic State and, indeed, of the al Qaeda affiliate in Syria. In some cases, that is going to be pursued in support of some of the opposition forces that are on the ground in Syria," Petraeus said.