WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday accepted the resignation of David Petraeus, director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to a White House statement.
In a statement released shortly after media reports about Petraeus's resignation, Obama confirmed his acceptance of the resignation and hailed Petraeus's "extraordinary service" to the country for decades.
In particular, Obama said Petraeus had helped the U.S. military adapt to new challenges and led the servicemen through "a remarkable period of service" in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"By any measure, through his lifetime of service David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger," wrote Obama in the statement.
"I am completely confident that the CIA will continue to thrive and carry out its essential mission," said the president. He also stressed that he had confidence in Acting Director Mike Morell, who served as the deputy CIA director and a longtime CIA officer.
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