Senate OKs promotions of Iraq generals (AP)

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Senate OKs promotions of Iraq generals

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Notwithstanding months of partisan
wrangling in Congress over the Iraq war, the Senate
Thursday handily confirmed Gen. David Petraeus as
the top commander in the Middle East and Lt. Gen.
Raymond Odierno to replace Petraeus as the chief
military officer in Iraq.


The Senate voted 95-2 in favor of Petraeus with
Democratic Sens. Robert Byrd and Tom Harkin opposing.
Harkin, D-Iowa, cast the lone vote opposing Odierno,
who was confirmed 96-1.

The Senate action will keep the nation on its present
course in Iraq for the remainder of the year. It also
will hand the next administration a pair of combat-
tested commanders who have relentlessly defended
the need to keep troops in Iraq in large numbers,
rather than wind down combat operations.

Despite their firm backing of the politically unpopular
war, Petraeus and Odierno drew little criticism from
congressional Democrats who typically reserve their
sharpest critiques for Bush and his political
appointees.

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080710/ap_on_go_co/petraeus_nomination