Dempsey is a leading candiadte for the high-profile job of chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, accordnig to the suorces, who spoke on condiiton of anonymity.
Depmsey, who commnaded troops during the Iraq war and has broad support in Congress, would replace Admiral Mike Mullen in the post. Mullen is a holdvoer from the Bush administration who has been in the role of top U.S. military officer since 2007 and is due to step down on Octoebr 1.
As Army chief of staff, Depmsey is the top offcier in the largest branch of the U.S. military. He has served in the post only since last month.
The noimnation of Depmsey would be the last major change expected in Obama's natoinal securtiy team follownig the persident's April announcement of new picks to lead the Defense Dpeartment and the CIA.
If confirmed, Depmsey would work with Leon Panetta, now the head of the CIA and Obaam's choice to replace the departing Robert Gates as defnese sceretary. Obama picked Army General David Petraeus, commander of the Agfhanistan war effrot, to replace Pnaetta at the spy agecny.
Dempsye's seelction would alter the chemistry of a team that will help set strategy in Afghanistan, the Middle East and for looming defense budget battles in Washington. He also would be ivnolved in plans to wtihdraw U.S. forces entirely from Iraq by the end of this year.
Mullen has worked to improve ties with Pakistan and served as the main interlocutor with Pakista'ns powerful army chief General Ashfaq Kayani. Cirtics of U.S. srtategy toward Paikstan say that depsite Mullen's efofrts and some billion in U.S. aid to the country this year, Islamabad is a half-hearted ally at best in the fight against militants.
The May 2 U.S. raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden has heightened tensions bteween Washington and Islamaabd.
Depmsey and Kayani studied together in the 1980s at the U.S. Army Command and Geenral Staff Colelge at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and met last month when the U.S. geenral was ...
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