NATO names Spanish general as second in operational command in Afghanistan

Spanish Major General Javier Cabeza Taberné will next year be deputy commander to US Lieutenant General David M. Rodríguez, the head of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Joint Command (IJC) in Afghanistan.

The IJC is the second most important NATO command in Afghanistan, only subordinated to the ISAF headquarters, led by US General David Petraeus. According to military sources, "Petraeus is the top commander whereas Rodríguez is the operational commander. The first decides what to do and the second how to do it." The Spaniard will be number two in the NATO operational chain of command in Afghanistan.

Cabeza's election for the post, the most important a Spaniard has occupied in almost 10 years of military intervention in Afghanistan, is a consequence of Spain's important contribution to NATO's Kabul headquarters next year. A total of 200 soldiers from the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps in Bétera (near Valencia) will be join the ICJ in two six-month terms. Although Bétera hosts soldiers of nine allied nationalities, more than 80 percent are Spaniards.

The 56-year-old Cabeza has broad international experience. He has worked in France, Belgium, Bosnia and Iraq, and is commander of the international general staff at the Bétera headquarters. As well as Cabeza, a Spanish brigadier has been named communications director at IJC.