In Iraq, General Ray Odierno has replaced General David Petraeus as the top military commander of the US occupation. Petraeus oversaw the so-called US surge that increased the occupation by 30,000 troops. On Tuesday, hundreds of residents of the Baghdad district of Sadr City protested the visit of Defense Secretary Robert Gates to Iraq. Gates was in Baghdad for the transfer of command to General Odierno. Sayyid al-Husseini of the Sadrist Movement said the US has ignored Iraqi public opinion.

Sayyid al-Husseini: “Big demonstrations have been staged in front of the office of al-Sadr to condemn and denounce the visit of the US defense secretary, because these people refuse the visits of any US official whilst demanding the pullout of US occupation gradually from Iraq or issue a timetable for their withdrawal.”