The U.S. Senate has voted overwhelmingly to confirm General David Petraeus, now commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, to be the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The vote was 94-0, making Petraeus the second senior nominee for President Barack Obama's national security team to win Senate confirmation unopposed this month. The other was Leon Panetta, who is leaving the CIA director's job to become U.S. secretary of defense.
Petraeus is expected to complete his command in Kabul in July, then hang up his military uniform and start his new civilian job at the CIA in September. Until then, the CIA's deputy director Michael Morell will serve as acting director of the intelligence agency.
The Senate, on a voice vote, also approved Ryan Crocker to be U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan. Crocker, a career diplomat, is a former ambassador to Iraq as well as Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon.
Reuters
The vote was 94-0, making Petraeus the second senior nominee for President Barack Obama's national security team to win Senate confirmation unopposed this month. The other was Leon Panetta, who is leaving the CIA director's job to become U.S. secretary of defense.
Petraeus is expected to complete his command in Kabul in July, then hang up his military uniform and start his new civilian job at the CIA in September. Until then, the CIA's deputy director Michael Morell will serve as acting director of the intelligence agency.
The Senate, on a voice vote, also approved Ryan Crocker to be U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan. Crocker, a career diplomat, is a former ambassador to Iraq as well as Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon.
Reuters
