WASHINGTON - The current US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad will soon be the first Muslim US ambassador to the UN, a senior State Department official said. Khalilzad is expected to replacing outgoing UN ambassador John Bolton in the coming days.
Khalilzad, a Sunni Muslim stationed as the Iraqi ambassador since 2005, is the most senior Muslim official in the United States government. He was born in Afghanistan, and completed a BA and MA at the American University in Beirut.
He is considered a protégé of Vice President Dick Cheney, who appointed him to senior positions on the National Security Council and the State Department. Among these, he served as the ambassador to Afghanistan, before becoming the ambassador to Iraq.
ABC and CNN television reported the planned nomination of Khalilzad to the UN. CNN reported that Khalilzad will be replaced in Iraq by Ryan Crocker, the current ambassador to Pakistan.
Khalilzad's nomination to such a post is indicative of the high regard in which he is held by the current government, but also comes as part of a clean slate approach in Iraq, involving a comprehensive change of generals and diplomats.
The ABC network reported Thursday night that Bush intends to appoint Admiral William Fallon to replace General John Abizaid as the Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) - which oversees US operations in the Middle East and Asia.
Additionally, Lieutenant General David Petraeus, current Commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq, is expected to replace General George Casey as the senior general in the country.
US President George Bush will apparently give a speech Monday regarding the new strategy in Iraq. As stated, Khalilzad will not be part of it, partly because of Iraqi Shiite claims of his favoritism towards Sunnis.
It appears that Bush himself was in favor of Khalizad's predecessor, Bolton, remaining in the UN post. However, Bolton resigned the post in December after failing to secure Senate endorsement.
News agencies contributed to this reported
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