General Ray Odierno has taken over command of the 146,000 US forces stationed in Iraq.
He replaced General David Petraeus at a ceremony near Baghdad airport. The event was presided over by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates. Odierno and Petraeus are credited with implementing a new counter-insurgency strategy that helped reduce violent incidents in Iraq since last year. The takeover comes as Washington faces the challenge of pulling out and handing over to Iraqi forces without leaving behind a security void.
(Deutsche General to hand over Iraq control ...
No victory in Iraq says Petraeus ... Welle)
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