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Obama to meet war council on first full day

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-21 13:54

WASHINGTON – The new commander in chief's promise to end the war in Iraq, and his hope for a turnaround in Afghanistan, will be on the agenda Wednesday when he meets with top commanders and national security aides.

US President Barack Obama gives his inaugural address during his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, DC. The world on Tuesday embraced the Barack Obama era but the leaders that the new US president will have to deal with also warned him of the difficulties ahead. [Agencies]

Two senior officials said Obama was summoning his defense secretary, Robert Gates, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, to the White House, along with Gen. David Petraeus, who has responsibility for both wars as Central Command chief.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the White House has not announced the meeting.

The top US commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan were scheduled to participate by videoteleconference. They are Gen. Ray Odierno in Baghdad and Gen. David McKiernan in Kabul.