Promotion proposed for U.S. Army's Odierno

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The Bush administration proposed promoting U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno to a four-star general after his tour in Iraq ends, The Washington Post reported.

Odierno is in his second Iraq tour, this time as the second-in-command in Iraq, which ends later this month.

Congress must approve the nomination for promotion, which would also make Odierno the Army's vice chief of staff in which he would manage the service's day-to-day operations, the Post said.

The 4-year-long posting is coming open as Gen. Richard Cody is considering whether to retire, the report said.

If Congress approves Odierno's promotion and U.S. President George Bush's fiscal 2009 request for $141 billion for the Army, he would oversee that as well as plans to bolster troop numbers by 65,000.

The Post said Odierno will return to Fort Hood, Texas, while awaiting the congressional decision.