Gen. David Petraeus, the most respected military leaders in his generation, retired from the U.S. commander in Afghanistan on Monday after serving a year in America's longest war.
In a ceremony in Kabul, Petraeus, who was accompanied by a number of U.S. high-ranking officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, Gen. (Mar) NATO commander James Mattis and Wolf Langheld-handed the baton to his successor, John Allen.
Allen is a former subordinate who made his name famous in Iraq in fighting America's enemies, including al Qaeda followers.
Allen, who was promoted to four-star general before the handover ceremony, it became the first of the Marines who served the United States heads the US-led war in Afghanistan.
During the assignment, Petraeus overseeing the addition of thousands of troops into Afghanistan in crushing the Taliban actions which lasted almost 10 years and although he expressed some progress achieved, violence remains high.
He will receive a new assignment to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after a week of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, was assassinated in his home and also when NATO began to shift control of several areas of Afghanistan.
Washington now will reduce its troop levels based on the controversial schedule. Petraeus admitted he did not recommend it.
Referring hideouts of Taliban and Al Qaeda in Pakistan, neighboring Afghanistan, Petraeus warned of heavy fighting in the future. U.S. to attack those places with unmanned planes.
He praised the nearly 150,000 foreign troops who served in Afghanistan and declared his successor Allen as "the right person to fulfill that duty."
Petraeus was given the job in Afghanistan after President Barack Obama took off Stanley McChrystal gave a statement to Rolling Stone magazine about the U.S. government.