Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced May 11 that Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal would replace Army Gen. David D. McKiernan as commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. McChrystal is presently the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Gates also selected Army Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, a senior advisor, to serve as deputy commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan. Gates made the choice of McChrystal after a two-day trip to Afghanistan in early May, and with support and advice from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command. “A fresh approach and a fresh look in the context of the new strategy was in our best interest,” said Gates, referring to plans to shift focus to Afghanistan and away from Iraq to stem insurgency operations emanating from Pakistan.