Report: Bush reshuffles Iraq team
www.chinaview.cn 2007-01-06 07:23:01

Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, seen here in 2004, will replace Gen. George Casey as commander of multinational forces in Iraq. (Xinhua Photo/AFP)

George Casey, top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, delivers a speech at the Pentagon, June 22, 2006. (Xinhua Photo/AFP)

Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, seen here in 2004, will replace Gen. George Casey as commander of multinational forces in Iraq. (Xinhua Photo/AFP)

Gen. George Casey, top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, delivers a speech at the Pentagon, June 22, 2006. (Xinhua Photo/AFP)

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush is overhauling his top diplomatic and military team in Iraq, The Washington Post reported Friday.

    The move came as the White House scrambles to complete its new war policy package in time for the president to unveil it in a speech to the nation next week, according to the report.

    With significant policy details left to be worked out over this weekend, the Bush administration is moving ahead on several personnel changes.

    The Pentagon announced on Friday that Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, who gained fame for his early success in training Iraqi troops and securing a volatile city in northern Iraq, will replace Gen. George W. Casey Jr. as commander of the multinational forces in Iraq.

    It also nominated Navy Adm. William J. Fallon to head the Central Command, replacing Gen. John P. Abizaid as the top U.S. military commander for the Middle East.

    On the diplomatic side, the White House will appoint veteran U.S. diplomat Ryan C. Crocker, the current envoy to Pakistan, who began his career in the 1970s in Iraq, as the new ambassador to Baghdad.

    The controversial current ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, will be nominated to become the top U.S. envoy at the United Nations, replacing John R. Bolton.

    Besides, Bush announced on Friday that Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte will return to the State Department as deputy to Condoleezza Rice, and retired Navy Adm. John M. McConnell will take the top U.S. intelligence job.

    As part of his congressional consultations before next week's speech, Bush has invited a group of lawmakers to talk about Iraq on Friday.

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    Pentagon announces change of key military posts related to Iraq

Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, seen here in 2004 in Iraq, will replace Gen. George Casey as commander of multinational forces in Iraq. (Xinhua Photo/AFP)

Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, seen here in 2004 in Iraq, will replace Gen. George Casey as commander of multinational forces in Iraq. (Xinhua Photo/AFP)

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon announced on Friday changes of several key military leadership posts related to Iraq, including replacing the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq George Casey.

    In a statement, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Casey will be elevated to the post of Army Chief of Staff and his Iraq job will go to Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the Army's Combined Arms Center in Fort Leavenworth.

    Bush announces change of national spy chief

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday announced that the country's spy chief will resign and take the new job as No. 2 at the State Department.

    Bush said in a televised statement that Director of National Intelligence (DNI) John Negroponte will be replaced by retired Adm. Mike McConnell, a former head of the National Security Agency.

Editor: Nie Peng
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