U.S. President George Bush is preparing to make a number of important changes to the military's top echelons as part of his new strategy for Iraq, according to officials.
Bush is expected to appoint a new head of U.S. Central Command, as well as a new ground commander in Iraq.
The British Broadcasting Corporation reports that the president will deliver a speech next week that will unveil his new strategy -- a plan that is expected to include as many as 9,000 additional troops deployed to Baghdad alone. There are roughly 140,000 troops currently in Iraq.
"One thing is for certain: I will want to make sure the mission is clear and specific and can be accomplished," Bush said Thursday.
News of the changes came as the U.S. Congress for the first time passed into the control of the Democrats, who intend to push for a phased-out withdrawal from Iraq.
There are also reports that Bush spoke via video link to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who said this week he doesn't intend to run for a second term and would get out early if he could.
Bush said he sought assurances from al-Maliki that he would do what's necessary to protect Iraqis against persistent sectarian violence.
"I believe Prime Minister Maliki has the will necessary to make the tough decisions," he said.
On Friday the two leaders reportedly discussed the security situation in the capital and called for an investigation into Saddam Hussein's execution.
Though the White House and the Pentagon have not yet confirmed the changes, officials and American media report the following can be expected:
- Adm. William Fallon -- currently the top U.S. commander in the Pacific -- will replace Gen. John Abizaid as head of Central Command for Iraq and Afghanistan;
- Lt.-Gen. David Petraeus will take over from Gen. George Casey as the top ground commander in Iraq;
- Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, will replace John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the UN;
- The U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Ryan Crocker, will replace Khalilzad in Baghdad
- John Negroponte to move from director of national intelligence to deputy secretary of state
- Retired vice-admiral and intelligence official Michael McConnell can be expected to replace Negroponte.
The announcement regarding Khalilzad could occur as early as Friday, the BBC reports.
The expected changes come as former defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the architect of the unpopular war, was replaced by Robert Gates.
Bush was expected to spend Friday in private meetings with more than a dozen senators, including both supporters and critics, discussing his plans for Iraq.
Meetings with lawmakers were expected to continue into next week in a process that would end with a meeting with bipartisan leadership on Wednesday, The Associated Press reports.
One of the options Bush is considering reportedly involves sending about 7,000 soldiers to Baghdad, along with two Marine battalions totalling about 1,500 troops to western Anbar Province, the center of the Sunni Arab insurgency.
The plan was met with skepticism by some.
"My conclusion was that it would be a mistake to send more troops to Baghdad," said Sen. Susan Collins. "I think the sectarian violence there requires a political not a military solution."
Abizaid echoed her concern during testimony on Capitol Hill in November. He said 20,000 more troops could be deployed, but that the Army and Marine Corps are too taxed to sustain the increase for long.
With files from The Associated Press
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