Petraeus leaves Iraq

David Petraeus, the American general who presided over Iraq’s pull back from the brink of all-out civil war, relinquished his command today to General Ray Odierno under a cascade of official thank yous.

In an elaborate ceremony in a marble-lined rotunda of a former Saddam Hussein palace on the outskirts of the capital, General Petraeus handed over to Gen Odierno the responsibility for leading US and coalition forces at a stage in the still-unpopular war that appears far more hopeful than when Gen Petraeus assumed command 20 months ago.