Army Gen. David Petraeus, who is to assume control of U.S. forces in the Middle East, said that a continued U.S. presence in Iraq is more likely to blunt, rather than inflame, Iran's growing influence in the region.In a 46-page question-and-answer document submitted in advance of his confirmation hearing on Thursday, Petraeus said the U.S. must work on developing more leverage — primarily diplomatic or economic — to pressure Tehran to abandon its nuclear program. But, he notes, the U.S. must retain military strike options as a "last resort."
"A destabilized Iraq, rampant terrorism in the region and a nuclear-armed Middle East are not in any nation's long-term interest, including Iran's," according to the document, obtained by The Associated Press.
Last month, President Bush picked Petraeus, a four-star general, to replace Navy Adm. William J. Fallon as chief of U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla. The command's area of responsibility includes some of the most troubling hotspots: Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Lebanon, parts of Africa and Afghanistan.
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