President to name Rice as successor to Colin Powell

George Bush will today name his national security adviser Condoleezza Rice as Colin Powell's replacement as secretary of state.

Friends of the former Gulf War general said his resignation came after a series of rows with defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld over the war in Iraq.

Mr Powell, 67, was "worn down and tired" by his battles with hardliners in the White House, friends tell the New York Times today.

Washington insiders had long expected the foreign policy chief 's resignation after the election. Mr Powell said in a statement that the decision had been reached by "mutual agreement" with Mr Bush. Mr Powell had voiced misgivings about the war in private, while remaining loyal in public.

His successor will be the first black woman to hold the post of secretary of state, but more importantly, she is seen as a Bush loyalist. She sided with the president and other hawks, including vicepresident Dick Cheney, over plans to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

A 50-year-old single woman who grew up in the deep South during the final years of racial segregation, she has a reputation for being ambitious and highly motivated.

Dr Rice is reported to have been interested in the defence secretary's job and had also spoken of going back to academic life at Stanford University until asked to replace Mr Powell.

Her first task will be to focus on a Middle East peace settlement.