WASHINGTON, May 2, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- U.S. President Barrack Obama has reshuffled the country’s national security team.

Obama announced on April 28 that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Leon Panetta will replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has been Defense Secretary since December 2006.  We will recall that gates announced last August that he would quit the job at the middle of this year.

General David Petraeus, the high-profile commander of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will replace Panetta at the CIA.

Petraeus will be replaced with Marine Corps Lieutenant-General John Allen, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command.

Diplomat Ryan Crocker is being appointed the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan.