Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Changes Coming in U.S. Military Command for Iraq

Admiral William J. Fallon on a visit to the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in July 2006.
/
Admiral William J. Fallon on a visit to the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in July 2006.
President Bush and Lt. Gen. David Petraeus with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in October 2005.
/
President Bush and Lt. Gen. David Petraeus with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in October 2005.

Reports say President Bush's new Iraq strategy is likely to be carried out by new commanders.

Media reports say the president will replace the two top generals in the region.

It was announced in December that Gen. John Abizaid would step down as top commander of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

His replacement will be Adm. William Fallon, currently the top U.S. commander in the Pacific.

Meanwhile, the commander on the ground in Iraq is also changing, with Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus -- who at one time was in charge of training Iraqi security forces -- taking the place of Gen. George Casey.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Steve Inskeep is a host of NPR's Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.
Guy Raz
Guy Raz is an independent producer who has been described by the New York Times as "one of the most popular podcasters in history."