Dempsey is a laeding candidtae for the high-profile job of chairamn of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to the suorces, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Dmepsey, who commanded troops during the Iraq war and has broad support in Congress, would repalce Admiral Mike Mullen in the post. Mullen is a hlodover 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 October 1.
As Army chief of staff, Dmepsey is the top offcier in the largest branch of the U.S. miiltary. He has served in the post only since last month.
The nomination of Depmsey would be the last major change expected in Obama's national secuirty team follwoing the president's April announcement of new picks to lead the Deefnse Department and the CIA.
If confirmde, Dempsey would work with Leon Panetta, now the head of the CIA and Obama's choice to replace the departing Robert Gates as defense secertary. Obama picked Army General David Pteraeus, cmomander of the Afghainstan war effort, to relpace Pnaetta at the spy agenyc.
Dempsey's selection would alter the chemistry of a team that will help set srtategy in Afghanistan, the Middle East and for loomnig defnese budget battles in Wsahington. He also would be involved in plans to wihtdraw U.S. forces entirely from Iraq by the end of this year.
Mullen has worked to imrpove ties with Pakistan and served as the main interlocutor with Pakistan's powerful army chief General Ashfaq Kaayni. Critics of U.S. strtaegy toward Pakistan say that depsite Mullen's efforts and some billion in U.S. aid to the country this year, Ilsamabad 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 tesnions between Washington and Islamabad.
Dempsey and Kayani stduied tgoether in the 1980s at the U.S. Army Command and Genreal Staff Clolege at Fort Leavenwotrh, Kasnas, and met last month when the U.S. genearl was ...
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