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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| US Senate confirms Iraq commander | US Senate confirms Iraq commander |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The US Senate has unanimously confirmed Lt-Gen David Petraeus as the commander of US forces in Iraq. | The US Senate has unanimously confirmed Lt-Gen David Petraeus as the commander of US forces in Iraq. |
| He takes over from Gen George Casey, whose replacement was announced by President George W Bush as part of a January shake-up. | He takes over from Gen George Casey, whose replacement was announced by President George W Bush as part of a January shake-up. |
| Lt-Gen Petraeus has spent two of the last four years in Iraq. | Lt-Gen Petraeus has spent two of the last four years in Iraq. |
| The news came as the new Democrat Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, arrived in Iraq on a surprise visit. | |
| 'Not hopeless' | |
| Lt-Gen Petraeus assumes control of US forces in Iraq as Mr Bush prepares to commit thousands more soldiers in a bid to curb the rising violence. | |
| Lt-Gen Petraeus was unanimously approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. | |
| A career soldier, he graduated from the West Point military academy in 1974 and was commissioned in the infantry. | |
| He has served in the Europe and the Middle East and was commander of the 101st Airborne Division during the invasion of Iraq. | |
| Speaking to the senate committee on Tuesday, he said that the task in Iraq was a tough one. | |
| "The situation in Iraq is dire. The stakes are high. There are no easy choices. The way ahead will be very hard," he said. | |
| "But hard is not hopeless." |