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New US General Prepares to Take Lead in Afghanistan

   VOA News 24 June 2010
   Members  of  the  Senate  Armed  Services  Committee,  during  a  news
   conference  to  discuss  the  confirmation  hearings  for  Gen.  David
   Petraeus, 23 Jun 2010

Photo: AP

   Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, from left, Sen. Joseph
   Lieberman, I-Conn., Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the committee's ranking
   Republican,  and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., smile on Capitol Hill in
   Washington  during  a  news  conference  to  discuss  the confirmation
   hearings for Gen. David Petraeus, 23 Jun 2010

   The  general  picked  by  U.S.  President Barack Obama to lead the war
   effort  in  Afghanistan is winning praise from both American lawmakers
   and Afghan officials.

   Mr.  Obama  picked U.S. Central Command chief David Petraeus Wednesday
   to  replace Army General Stanley McChrystal, who resigned after he and
   his  aides  mocked  members  of the Obama administration in a magazine
   article.

   Senior  U.S. lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties
   say  they  support the choice of General Petraeus, and the chairman of
   the   Senate  Armed  Services  committee  says  he  plans  to  hold  a
   confirmation hearing no later than next Tuesday.

   In  Kabul  Thursday,  Afghan  government  spokesman Waheed Omar called
   McChrystal's  departure unfortunate but also said General Petraeus was
   the best possible replacement.

   Omar  said  General  Petraeus  is "no stranger" to Afghanistan, having
   spent   a   lot   of  time  in  the  region  and  helping  devise  the
   counterinsurgency strategy for the country.

   Many  Afghan officials had expressed confidence in General McChrystal,
   crediting him with a decrease in the number of civilian casualties and
   other positive changes.

   McChrystal  was  summoned  to Washington and submitted his resignation
   Wednesday,  following  the  publication  of a profile in Rolling Stone
   magazine, titled "The Runaway General."

   In  the  article,  General  McChrystal  and  his  aides were quoted as
   mocking  Vice  President  Joe  Biden,  National Security Adviser James
   Jones  and  U.S.  Ambassador  to  Afghanistan  Karl  Eikenberry, among
   others.  McChrystal  and  his aides did not question the quotes or the
   story's accuracy.

   Before leaving for Washington to meet with President Obama, McChrystal
   said the profile was a mistake that never should have happened.

   Mr.  Obama  said  Wednesday that placing General Petraeus in charge of
   the  effort in Afghanistan will allow the U.S. to maintain momentum in
   the  war.  Many  U.S.  officials and lawmakers credit General Petraeus
   with  successfully using the counterinsurgency strategy to improve the
   security situation in Iraq.

   British  Lieutenant  General  Nick Parker has taken interim command of
   NATO's Afghan forces, pending General Petraeus' confirmation.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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