Gen. Zinni discusses US foreign policy

Tickets are still available for the next in the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance Speaker Series on Friday, Sept. 19, featuring Gen. Tony Zinni (Ret.), who will discuss American foreign policy.

Zinni will sit down for a conversation with Vice Admiral (Ret.) Jody A. Breckenridge, to discuss his new book, “Before The First Shots Are Fired: How America Can Win Or Lose Off The Battlefield,” which is being published this month.

“I think Gen. Zinni will have valuable insights to offer on what is happening in the world today, especially in the Middle East where he has a great deal of experience. It should be a fascinating discussion,” said Kathy Witkowicki, Mentoring Alliance executive director.

Zinni is a retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general and a former Commander in Chief of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). In 2002, he served as a special U.S. envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In this, his fourth book, he examines why the U.S. now finds itself fighting so many wars that end without a clear victory. He argues that the current approach of essentially starting from scratch each time we consider launching another military action is shortsighted, and neglects crucial information that can be gleaned from past battles.

The book lays out his views on what must be done to ensure that our leaders are shaping future battlefields to the country’s advantage, and putting our soldiers in the best position to succeed.

The event will be held at the Sonoma Valley Veterans Memorial Building, 126 First St. W., on Friday, Sept. 19, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for military veterans and youth, 13-18, and can be purchased on the Mentoring Alliance website, sonomamentoring.org Wine by the glass will be available before the event, beginning at 6 p.m., and books signed by the author will be available for purchase.

This event is part of a new speaker series, Sonoma Mentoring Presents, organized by the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance. It will be structured as a conversation between Gen. Zinni and Vice Admiral Breckenridge, with the audience given the opportunity to ask questions.

Jody Breckenridge is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral. She served as Commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area from July 2009 to May 2010, overseeing operations throughout the Pacific Basin and to the Far East. At the time of her retirement in 2010, she was one of only four female Flag Officers in the U.S. Coast Guard.

For more than 18 years, the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance has helped at-risk school children by pairing them with caring adult mentors who make a big difference in their life. It currently provides mentors for approximately 450 students and maintains professionally staffed Mentor Centers on eight public school campuses in the Sonoma Valley Unified School District, ranging from elementary to high school.

The organization also provides structured activities for mentors and mentees outside school, including trips to museums, concerts and sporting events, participation in community service projects and other enrichment opportunities.

The organization is recognized nationally as a model for community-based mentoring programs. For more information, call 938-1990, or visit their website at sonomamentoring.org.

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