WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 The head of the U.S. Central Command, Army Gen. John Abizaid, has filed a letter of resignation with the Pentagon, it was announced Wednesday.
Abizaid, 55, has been the main military architect of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and most recently disagreed with calls to increase the number of troops in Iraq, a step President George Bush appears ready to order, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Abizaid had taken the position Iraqi troops needed to be trained faster and the Iraqi government be less reliant on the United States for security measures.
Defense officials said Abizaid submitted the documents more than a month ago, soon before Donald Rumsfeld was replaced as defense secretary.
His letter said he would leave his post in March, which will give new Defense Secretary Robert Gates time to select a commander in line with his evolving strategy.
Copyright 2006 by UPI
