Head of U.S forces in Afghanistan asked to step down

Today Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that Gen. David McKiernan will be replaced by Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the top commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. McChrystal is seen as a top counterinsurgency/counterterrorism expert, while McKiernan has a more traditional military background. McKiernan was asked to resign as part of the overhaul of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan undertaken by the Obama administration. Gates said he believes this decision to be in the best interest of U.S. national security. In an interview with Foreign Policy’s the Cable, Karin von Hippel said:

…she expects the McChrystal-Petraeus relationship to be critical. She also noted that Petraeus seems to be replicating in Afghanistan the model he operated as the top four-star commander in Iraq, when he had two three-star generals - including then Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, reporting to him.