Afghanistan

McChrystal Removed, Petraeus Takes Over

The president is speaking as I write this, but here are the basics:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A senior administration official tells The Associated Press that President Barack Obama has accepted Gen. Stanley McChrystal's resignation as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan and is replacing him with Gen. David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command.

I'm very satisfied to hear the president underscoring -- more than once -- the civilian control of the military. This has been a central tradition in our system, and one of the reasons I'm always a little suspicious of any president who tries too hard to seem militaristic or who flaunts previous military service.