The top U.S. general in the Middle East, Army Gen. John Abizaid, plans to retire and will leave his post in March, the Los Angeles Times newspaper said on Wednesday. It quoted unidentified Defense Department officials as saying Abizaid, who had resisted calls for an increase in U.S. troops in Iraq, submitted his retirement documents over a month ago, shortly before then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld gave in his resignation. Full Story