Petraeus, now Centcom chief, assesses Afghan war

Gen. David Petraeus, the new chief of the U.S. Central Command who is credited with turning the tide in Iraq, took a firsthand look at the war in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

With U.S. deaths at an all-time high in Afghanistan and attacks against Westerners on the rise, Petraeus arrived from neighboring Pakistan on his first visit to the region since taking charge of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Petraeus will meet with Afghan leaders and top U.S. military officials, including U.S. Gen. David McKiernan, the head of the NATO-led force. He is in the country to conduct an “initial assessment,” said Col. Greg Julian, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan.

Petraeus, who became Centcom chief Friday, has been credited for stemming the violence in Iraq, and many expect Afghanistan will see some of the same tactics, such as co-opting local tribal leaders to resist the Taliban.

His stop in Afghanistan follows a two-day visit to neighboring Pakistan, a key U.S. ally in the war on terror. Pakistan is also battling an insurgency in its tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.