Washington: President George W Bush nominated an Arab-American general to replace General Tommy Franks as commander of US forces in Iraq and elsewhere in a region that stretches from Egypt to Afghanistan, Pentagon sources reported on June 19.

Lieutenant General John Abizaid has been serving since December as Franks' deputy in charge of US military operations in Iraq. If confirmed by the Senate, Abizaid will take over Franks' responsibilities as Commander of all US forces in the Central Command's area, a region that has seen two wars in two years and faces other potential hotspots.

Abizaid had been considered for the post of Army chief of staff, but his training and background made him an ideal choice as commander of the US Central Command, a position that requires a flair for diplomacy as well as the military arts.

Abizaid, who is of Lebanese descent, is an expert in Arabic affairs with a master's degree in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard. He speaks Arabic, studied at the University of Jordan in Amman and served as an operations officer with a UN Observer Group in Lebanon.

ANI