Obama reshuffles National Security Team

Gen. David Petraeus appointed as CIA director, Panetta moved to Pentagon.

WASHINGTON DC: President Barack Obama has tapped one of the country's top military men to head the Central Intelligence Agency, while the current CIA chief is being nominated to take charge of the military.

The President announced on Thursday to appoint Gen David Petraeus as the successor to Leon Panetta in the CIA. Panetta will be succeeding Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagaon.

Meanwhile,  Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John Allen will be taking over Gen. Petraeus' old job as the Commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations across the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Iran.

Senior diplomat Ryan Crocker will take charge as the US envoy in Kabul. Crocker has already served as US ambassador in Islamabad and Baghdad.

While announcing the reshuffling, Obama said that they were "a nation still at war" and hoped that the Senate would approve of these changes.