Gates arrives in Iraq to oversee command change
source: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/09/15/iraq.gates/index.html
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates flew into Iraq on Monday to oversee a change of command of American forces.
Gen. Ray Odierno will take over command Tuesday from Gen. David Petraeus, whose 20-month term in Iraq saw a significant decline in violence with the deployment of additional U.S. troops.
U.S. forces are in "mission transition," Gates said Monday, with some troops going home and others backing up Iraqis.
"There is no question we will still be engaged, but the areas in which we are seriously engaged will continue to narrow," Gates said during his flight to Iraq.
"The challenge for Odierno is how do we work with the Iraqis to preserve the gains we've already achieved and expand on them even as the number of U.S. forces are shrinking."
Odierno is expected to set the stage for an eventual U.S. withdrawal.
Petraeus will become the new chief of U.S. Central Command, in charge of American forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Gates, who is making his eighth trip to Iraq, said Petraeus played a "historic role" during his tenure.
Gen. Ray Odierno will take over command Tuesday from Gen. David Petraeus, whose 20-month term in Iraq saw a significant decline in violence with the deployment of additional U.S. troops.
U.S. forces are in "mission transition," Gates said Monday, with some troops going home and others backing up Iraqis.
"There is no question we will still be engaged, but the areas in which we are seriously engaged will continue to narrow," Gates said during his flight to Iraq.
"The challenge for Odierno is how do we work with the Iraqis to preserve the gains we've already achieved and expand on them even as the number of U.S. forces are shrinking."
Odierno is expected to set the stage for an eventual U.S. withdrawal.
Petraeus will become the new chief of U.S. Central Command, in charge of American forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Gates, who is making his eighth trip to Iraq, said Petraeus played a "historic role" during his tenure.
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- tags:
- Iraq, War in Iraq, Robert Gates, secretary of defense
