US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan
BBC News
October 30, 2008
US General David Petraeus has taken control of US military operations throughout the Middle East and much of Asia as head of US Central Command.
His responsibilities include Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
At a change-of-command ceremony at Central Command headquarters, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said he was “precisely the man we need”.
Previously Gen Petraeus was commander of the US military in Iraq, and widely credited with improving security.
Iraq ’surge’
Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to dominate Gen Petraeus’ agenda, says the BBC’s defence correspondent Rob Watson.
In Iraq, Gen Petraeus will have to manage the eventual reduction of US forces, a process he has made clear that he does not favour rushing.
During his time there, Gen Petraeus implemented the “surge” plan, which saw nearly 30,000 US troops deployed to troublespots in Iraq.
In a major change of strategy, coalition forces also moved out of large bases and into highly populated areas.
Since then, the security situation has improved markedly, with less violence and fewer deaths, and progress on both the political and economic fronts.
But he has said that security gains were “not irreversible” and that the US still faced a “long struggle”.
Afghan review
On Afghanistan, he has already commissioned a major review of US strategy, which is expected to emphasise the need for a wider regional solution and more outreach to the Taleban.
The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, told the BBC’s World Today that it was unlikely there would be talks between Gen Petraeus and the Taleban.
“We’re not talking about the US talking to the Taleban. The issue is that both Afghanistan and Pakistan have policies on reconciliation and we have been, and continue to be, willing to support those policies.”
He added: “Everybody’s got a rumour about some commander who might be willing to lay down his arms and stop fighting.
“But none of that has ever materialised, because those guys just keep hijacking buses and chopping heads off.”
The extent of Gen Petreaus’ future influence on US policy in the region will of course depend to some extent on who wins the presidential election, though both candidates are admirers, our correspondent says.
Whatever happens, the ambitious and reflective general, whose academic achievements rival his battlefield experience, is likely to remain a prominent and powerful figure, our corresponent adds.
Source | See Also: ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand Canada leave Afghanistan | NATO to let troops fight Afghan drug lords | US faces downward spiral in Afghan war, says leaked intelligence report | Afghan mission cost: up to $18B | Delta Force Officer: We Weren’t Allowed to Kill Osama Bin Laden | Victory impossible in Afghanistan: senior British commander | Defiant military watchdog widens detainee hearings | ‘Some’ Troops to stay in Afghanistan past 2011: McKay | CSIS faces review in Khadr case | Blackwater-linked firm to train Canadian troops | Canadian troops continue gearing up, to receive US counter-insurgency training | Asia’s new ‘great game’ is all about pipelines | MacKay dismisses Taliban threat as ‘propaganda’ | Controversial Kandahar governor replaced | America to assume command in Afghanistan | Canadian military acquiring new helicopters, drones | Low Level Driver Convicted Of Terror Charges While Bin Laden’s Senior Body Guard Was Let Go | Afghani Narco-state Continues to Blossom under Puppet President | Protesters push for Omar Khadr’s release | Obama promises 10,000 more troops for Afghanistan | Afghanistan suggests Pakistan responsible for embassy bombing | Canadian, NATO forces stood down during Afghan jailbreak | Canadian military silent on Afghan civilian deaths: UN investigator | US Counterinsurgency Manual Leaked, Calls for False Flag Operations, Suspension of Human Rights | Report: U.S. Gave Green Light For Taliban Prison Attack | Don’t look, don’t tell, troops told in response to Afghani child abuse | Post-traumatic stress disorder’s hidden scars | Over 100 complaints about access to govt. info on Afghan mission: report | Canada sets up new military spy unit | Bid to Block Afghan Detainee Inquiry Slammed | Army begins using $150,000 artillery shells | FBI documents contradict 9/11 Commission report | Truth or Terrorism? The Real Story Behind Five Years of High Alerts | 9/11 widows call for new investigation after revelations of White House, commission ties | Director of 9/11 commission “secretly spoke with Rove, White House” | Eight U.S. State Department Veterans Challenge the Official Account of 9/11 | Twenty-five U.S. Military Officers Challenge Official Account of 9/11 | Ex-Italian President: Intel Agencies Know 9/11 An Inside Job | Afghan poll not as clear as it seems | 9/11 – the big cover-up? | New Bin Laden Video: 100% Forgery | What Ottawa doesn’t want you to know: Government was told detainees faced ‘extrajudicial executions, disappearances, torture and detention without trial’ | The Lies that Led to War | U.S. Government Caught Red-Handed Releasing Staged Al-Qaeda Videos | US Allowed Taliban, Al-Qaeda Airlift Evacuation
December 12th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
[...] in Afghanistan could lead to more violence: ISAF | Military to probe response to sex charges | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand [...]
January 9th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
[...] Policy: Pakistan and U.S. Have Tacit Deal On Airstrikes | The truth about South Ossetia | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | US helicopter raid inside of [...]
February 19th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
[...] Brookings powerbrokers | Baron Rothschild tags along with Gordon Brown, expects new world order | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | Ex-Italian President: Provocateur Riots Then “Beat The Shit Out Of Protesters” | Morgan Chase [...]
April 14th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
[...] in Afghanistan could lead to more violence: ISAF | Military to probe response to sex charges | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand [...]
May 13th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
[...] in Afghanistan could lead to more violence: ISAF | Military to probe response to sex charges | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand [...]
May 14th, 2009 at 11:53 am
[...] in Afghanistan could lead to more violence: ISAF | Military to probe response to sex charges | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand [...]
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
[...] in Afghanistan could lead to more violence: ISAF | Military to probe response to sex charges | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand [...]
July 14th, 2009 at 12:38 am
[...] in Afghanistan could lead to more violence: ISAF | Military to probe response to sex charges | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand [...]
September 30th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
[...] [...]
October 15th, 2009 at 6:55 am
[...] in Afghanistan could lead to more violence: ISAF | Military to probe response to sex charges | US General David Petraeus to take CENTCOM helm for Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan | ‘Reconstruction’ efforts in Khandahar not apparent to Afghanis | Peace activists demand [...]
November 27th, 2009 at 12:07 am
[...] [...]