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US President Barack Obama is expected to announce plans this week for a recast of his national security team this week, naming CIA director Leon Panetta as the next Defence Secretary in place of the retiring Robert Gates and inducting top General David Petraeus as the next CIA chief.
The changes, however, would not be immediate. Reports quoting administration officials said the new team was likely to take over sometime this summer.
Once Petraeus moves to Washington giving up his crucial assignment as US Commander for Afghanistan, he is set to be replaced by Lt Gen John Allen, currently the deputy commander of the US Central Command in Florida.
Obama is also expected to name seasoned diplomat Ryan Crocker as the next US ambassador in Afghanistan, replacing Karl Eikenberry, a former Army general.
The recast exercise had got under way with Gates announcing months ago that he proposed to retire sometime this year.
Without confirming the changes, White House spokesman Jay Carney indicated that Obama would speak on Thursday about personnel moves on his national security team.
Panetta is known to be an old-timer in Washington. A former Democratic Congressman from California, the 73-year-old Panetta served as former President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff between 1994 and 1997, after a stint as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The changes, however, would not be immediate. Reports quoting administration officials said the new team was likely to take over sometime this summer.
Once Petraeus moves to Washington giving up his crucial assignment as US Commander for Afghanistan, he is set to be replaced by Lt Gen John Allen, currently the deputy commander of the US Central Command in Florida.
Obama is also expected to name seasoned diplomat Ryan Crocker as the next US ambassador in Afghanistan, replacing Karl Eikenberry, a former Army general.
The recast exercise had got under way with Gates announcing months ago that he proposed to retire sometime this year.
Without confirming the changes, White House spokesman Jay Carney indicated that Obama would speak on Thursday about personnel moves on his national security team.
Panetta is known to be an old-timer in Washington. A former Democratic Congressman from California, the 73-year-old Panetta served as former President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff between 1994 and 1997, after a stint as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
