Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the head of the Central Command, arrived in Orange County Thursday, visiting his home town of New Windsor and the street that had been dedicated in his name.

Petraeus told News 12 Westchester that he heard an overwhelming call from Orange County residents to bring the troops home from both Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We cannot allow Al Qaeda to reestablish the sanctuary they had in Afghanistan," he said.

The general's comments come amid a heated debate over the prospect of sending 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

Petraeus added that there has been tremendous progress in Iraq since the war began, including a renewed sense of hope for its people.