US General David Petraeus, nominated to be the new military commander in Afghanistan, has said he supported the timeline of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan next July because it lent greater urgency to the campaign. Testifying at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday evening, General Petraeus said his decision to support the conditions-based withdrawal was based on projections made in December and that he would not shy from recommending another course next year if his military assessment changed. US President Barack Obama had announced withdrawal of troops from July 2011 and handing over of security responsibility to Afghan forces. <br/>During the three-hour hearing, Gen. Petraeus also said he would review the rules of engagement implemented by his predecessor, which some soldiers on the front lines have criticized as overly restrictive. Gen. McChrystal ordered troops under his command to assiduously avoid civilian casualties, one of the most persistent complaints of the Afghan government.<br/>