A retired general in the United States Army, he formerly served as the Commander of the United States Central Command. He also held the position of U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abizaid’s military education includes the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York (1973); the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses; the Armed Forces Staff College; and a Senior Fellowship at the U.S. Army War College at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
In his civilian studies, he earned a Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University, and was awarded an Olmsted Scholarship at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan.