US military's Africa Command gets new leadership

[March 09, 2011]  STUTTGART, Germany (AP) -- The U.S. military command responsible for humanitarian aid and any prospective military responses to the violence in Libya is swearing in a new commander.

He is Army Gen. Carter Ham, a former commander in Iraq and most recently the top U.S. Army officer in Europe.

Ham is taking charge of Africa Command, succeeding Army Gen. William Ward, who is retiring. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is presiding at the change-of-command ceremony.

Africa Command, created in 2008, is responsible for U.S. military operations in most of Africa, including Libya -- which has no formal military-to-military relations with the United States.

[Associated Press; By ROBERT BURNS]

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