Gen. David Petraeus Sworn in as Head of US Central Command - Julian Barnes, Los Angeles Times
Gen. David H. Petraeus took charge of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq today, promising to tackle both immediate and long-term security challenges as he was sworn in as head of US Central Command.
Until last month, Petraeus was the top US commander in Iraq. Now, as the top regional commander, Petraeus will continue to oversee that war, but at Centcom, his most urgent task will be helping to craft a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan.
The conflict in Afghanistan has grown more violent this year. In its closing days the Bush administration, led by the National Security Council, has initiated a broad review of the current strategy in Afghanistan. The Joint Chiefs of Staff also have a broad planning effort underway, designed in part to present options to the next administration. But in addition to those efforts, Petraeus is working on his own campaign plan for Afghanistan.
More at The Los Angeles Times.
Petraeus Steps Into New Role as Head of Central Command - Thom Shanker, New York Times
Under a sparkling South Florida sun, thousands of miles from the deserts of the Middle East, Gen. David H. Petraeus took charge of the Central Command on Friday with responsibility for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the region.
General Petraeus becomes responsible not only for overseeing military operations in Iraq, where he still views recent gains as extremely fragile, and in Afghanistan, where violence has increased markedly, but also for a strategic crescent that includes Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stressed that while it would be a primary task for General Petraeus to "keep us on the right path in Iraq," an immediate challenge was "bringing coherence to our own strategy" in Afghanistan.
More at The New York Times.