Petraeus prepares for Senate hearings

Gen. David Petraeus, President Barack Obama's pick to lead U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, has been reaching out to lawmakers in advance of next week's Senate hearing.

Petraeus has met or spoken with 28 senators and the chairman and ranking member of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee ahead of Tuesday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

The general returns before the panel as Obama's nominee to lead U.S. efforts in Afghanistan after Obama accepted the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who angered the president when he and his aides made inflammatory and insulting remarks about administration officials in a Rolling Stone article.

Obama expressed his disappointment in replacing McChrystal, but the president said putting Petraeus in command would allow for a seamless transition.

Petraeus made calls to U.S. ambassadors to the region, NATO officials and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Petraeus collapsed when he last appeared before the committee on June 15. He walked out on his own, and blamed the fainting spell on dehydration.

Petraeus is widely expected to be confirmed quickly and by a wide margin.

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