Barack Obama 2010-01-01 1 Statement on Senate Confirmation of General David H. Petraeus as Commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan June 30, 2010 I am extremely grateful to the Senate for acting so quickly to confirm General Petraeus to lead our military effort in Afghanistan. General Petraeus is a pivotal part of our effort to succeed in Afghanistan, and in our broader effort to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al Qaida, and he has my full confidence. The Senate's quick action and General Petraeus's unrivaled experience will ensure we do not miss a beat in our strategy to break the Taliban's momentum and build Afghan capacity.