Top US lawmakers have warmly welcomed President Barack Obama's plans to put General David Petraeus at the head of the CIA and name its director, Leon Panetta, to lead the Pentagon.
"I strongly support the president's planned nominations," House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King, a Republican often fiercely critical of the White House, said in a statement responding to news reports.
"Both men currently play integral roles in our nation's war against Al-Qaeda and its affiliates and will be instrumental as we continue to combat the terrorist threat," said King, who also sits on the House Intelligence Committee.
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King praised Panetta for having had "important success in stabilizing the CIA workforce and played a critical role in identifying and disrupting terrorist plots against the United States."
"General Petraeus is a patriot who has served honorably and admirably whenever and wherever the president has asked," said the lawmaker.
US officials told AFP earlier that Panetta, pending confirmation by the US Senate, will lead the Pentagon starting this summer, and that Petraeus will replace Panetta at the help of the US spy agency.
And Obama planned to nominate seasoned diplomat Ryan Crocker to be the US ambassador to Kabul.
Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller, former head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, welcomed Obama's choice of "sound and prudent leaders" and expressed hopes they would help rein in US military involvements overseas.
"I will look to these new leaders to continue reducing our military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan to let both countries take control of their own security, and avoiding deeper military involvement in the civil war in Libya, while we have so many needs at home," he said in a statement.
"After ten years of war and extraordinary sacrifices by our troops and their families, I have strong strategic and fiscal concerns about our military engagement in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya," said Rockefeller.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham praised the choices, saying that "the sum total of these picks is that the president has chosen experienced people with unique capabilities to serve our nation at a dangerous time."
Graham, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Panetta would be ready for his new job "on day one" because he "understands the variety of threats America faces as well as anyone."
Graham said Petraeus was "a national treasure" and praised his "first-hand knowledge and understanding of the threats we face."
