The abrupt departure of the four-star general in charge of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has set off a scramble within the administration of US President George W. Bush to fill a job that requires vast combat experience, deft diplomatic skills and the ability to handle the prickly question of what to do about Iran.
While Bush may pick a surprise candidate to replace Admiral William Fallon, who resigned after just one year as leader of US Central Command, he is expected to choose a senior Army general who can see the big picture and does not need a lot of time to become familiar with the political dynamics of the volatile Middle East.
"He's looking for a guy who'll be a quick study," said retired Army Major General Robert Scales, former commandant of the Army War College. "He's also looking for someone who can take a strategic view of radical Islam rather than just focusing on the tactical fight. And he needs to be a person who's trusted in the region."
Each of the military branches will propose candidates to succeed Fallon at Central Command. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will make his recommendation to the president.
Because of his star power, Army General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq since February last year, has emerged as a leading possibility, although he may be more valuable in Iraq.
Petraeus is highly regarded inside the White House and on Capitol Hill for overseeing the reduction in violence in Baghdad and other key areas in Iraq. For those reasons, Petraeus should stay right where he is, retired Army Major General David Grange said.
"I wouldn't move Petraeus," said Grange, a former commander of the 1st Infantry Division. "I would keep continuity of command. It's too important to move someone out of there quickly."
Gates said recently that Bush had made it clear to him that he wanted to keep Petraeus in Iraq until late this year. Petraeus is likely to get a second four-star assignment after his tour in Iraq concludes.
Other possibilities include the Army lieutenant generals Martin Dempsey, Ray Odierno, Stanley McChrystal and Peter Chiarelli. All have substantial experience in Iraq.
Headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, Central Command is arguably the military's most important warfighting organization. Its commander is responsible for operations in a swath of the globe that reaches from Central Asia to the Horn of Africa, a region where religious extremism has fueled al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
The job of Central Command chief is as much about statesmanship as it is about using heavily armed forces. Fallon, like his predecessors, spent much of his time traveling throughout the region in an effort to build relationships that would produce support for US interests and reduce al-Qaeda's influence.
"You really need somebody who can deal with our friends in that region,'' said retired Navy Admiral Bob Natter, former commander of the US Atlantic Fleet.
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