Warner hails selection of Mattis to lead CENTCOM from meeting with general

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) hailed the selection of Gen. James Mattis as director of Central Command (CENTCOM) during a meeting with Mattis on Thursday.

Warner said he was meeting with Mattis when Defense Secretary Robert Gates picked the general to lead CENTCOM.

Warner tweeted Thursday:

In Norfolk mtg w/Gen. James Mattis even as Secy Gates announces Mattis is pick to succeed Petraeus as head of U.S. Central Command.

Genl Mattis is impressive & a solid military leader w/ experience in Iraq I & II and Afghanistan, an innovator.

Mattis succeeds Gen. David Petraeus as director of CENTCOM. Petraeus left that position to take over as commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan after Gen. Stanley McChrystal resigned.

Mattis had been thought to be a potential candidate to replace McChrystal, having led troops into the bloody battle of Fallujah in Iraq. He previously served as commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command.