Obama fires McChrystal, picks Petraeus to head Afghan war

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama accepted the resignation of Afghan war commander General Stanley McChrystal Wednesday and asked Iraq war hero General David Petraeus to replace him, a US official said.

"The president accepted McChrystal's resignation and has chosen General Petraeus to replace McChrystal as the commander of ISAF and to lead our forces in Afghanistan," the official said on conditition of anonymity.
McChrystal delivered his resignation after he was ordered back to Washington for a one-on-one showdown with Obama earlier Wednesday over his stunning criticisms of the US national security team in a magazine article.