********** US Marine commander relieved of post in Iraq 26 minutes ago Add Mideast - AFP to My Yahoo!
SOUTH EAST OF BAGHDAD (AFP) - A US commander who was leading a push by Marines through southern Iraq (news - web sites) towards Baghdad was relieved of his post for an undisclosed reason, a US military spokesman told AFP.
No reason had been given for the decision to relieve Colonel Joe Dowdy, commander of the Marines First Regimental Combat Team, Public Affairs Officer Steven Schweitzer said on Friday.
"He was responsible for the regiment until three hours ago," Schweitzer said.
Another senior officer, who declined to be named, said a replacement for Dowdy had been announced and that a helicopter had arrived late Friday with orders to ferry Dowdy back to Kuwait.
Dowdy was in command of 5,000 men and women and had led the regiment's advance through southern and central Iraq and on to some 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Baghdad earlier Friday.