Gates names new ISAF commander

Gates names new ISAF commander
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jan 18, 2008 15:14:58 EST

Army Gen. David D. McKiernan has been nominated to head NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Jan. 18.

McKiernan, now commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army, and U.S. Army NATO, would relieve Gen. Dan McNeill, who has led the ISAF since Feb. 4, 2007. McNeill’s next assignment has not been announced.

If confirmed, McKiernan would lead ISAF’s 41,700 troops, including 14,000 Americans. The force will be augmented this spring by an additional 2,200 U.S. Marines, a “one-time-only” deployment approved Jan. 15 by President Bush in anticipation of a spring offensive by Taliban extremists in southern Afghanistan.

ISAF leads the participating NATO members and other nations in the international effort to support and rebuild war-torn Afghanistan. NATO assumed command and control of the effort in August 2003.

A parallel effort by the U.S.-led Combined Joint Task Force 82 — composed of 12,000 U.S. and 1,200 other coalition troops — focuses on defeating anti-government extremists in Afghanistan.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/military_mckiernan_080118w/