Petraeus takes over as Iraq commander

A U.S. army soldier provides cover fire for a fellow serviceman during a raid in Buhriz, about 35 miles north of Baghdad today. At least 37 U.S. troops have been killed so far this month.

BAGHDAD -- The reins to the U.S. military effort in Iraq were handed Saturday to Gen. David Petraeus, whose plan to bring more soldiers into Baghdad hinges on the gamble that it will buy time for the beleaguered Iraqi government to cement control of the country.

Petraeus' arrival represents a fundamental shift in outlook as he takes over from Gen. George Casey, who argued for an eventual drawdown of American forces. Petraeus has said that securing Baghdad requires involving thousands more U.S. and Iraqi troops for the foreseeable future.

Instead of hunting insurgents, Petraeus' emphasis is on reassuring the public with visible security. Casey will move back to Washington to be Army chief of staff.

Two car bombs exploded during the lunchtime rush hour Saturday in Baghdad. The new commander promised to focus on making Iraqis feel more secure but tried to temper expectations that his arrival was enough to bring change.

"The challenges ahead are substantial. The rucksack of responsibility is very heavy. In truth, it is too heavy for any one person to bear, and we will all have to carry the burden and move forward together," Petraeus told leaders assembled in the ornate Al Faw palace near Baghdad, once a showpiece for Iraq's former dictator, Saddam Hussein.

Read the rest at the Chicago Tribune

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