General Ray Odierno took the reins from General David Petraeus as the top United States army official in Iraq. General Patraeus had been in the lead for 20 months and General Odierno was his deputy, the second in command, for some of his tenure.
General Ray Odierno was a key figure in supporting the troop surge of early 2007, a logistical move that is believed to have at least partially stabilized Iraq. He has served both on the ground in Iraq and as a strategical planner at the Pentagon.
General Odierno, a 54-year-old four-star general, will surely face challenges in the near future with provincial elections slated for late 2008 or early 2009 and national elections to follow in late 2009.
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates lauded Petraeus and Odierno’s work in harnessing violence in Iraq: "Slowly, but inexorably, the tide began to turn. Our enemies took a fearsome beating they will not soon forget."
General Petraeus will now work in Tampa, Florida as commander of US Central Command, oversee all military activity in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations.
Source: Sky News