Inching Toward Iran: ADM. Fox Resigns

[88Mariner]

Secretary Robert Gates has announced that Centcom commander Adm. William Fallon has submitted his resignation. Fallon was subject of a recent Esquire article, which stated that the admiral could be “relieved of his command before his time is up next spring,” in favor of a commander more amenable to war with Iran.

According to Gates, Fallon resigned because the fall-out from the article. Gates said Fallon told him: “The current embarrassing situation, public perception of differences between my views and administration policy, and the distraction this causes from the mission make this the right thing to do.” Gates said he approved Fallon’s request to retire with “reluctance and regret.”

http://www.esquire.com/features/fox-fallon (an article by Thomas PM Barnett, who as I've meantioned in GYY, had a fantastic speech at TEDtalks.)

Last year, Fallon vowed that an attack on Iran “will not happen on my watch.”

Talkingpointsmemo.com has an important note on Fallon for your consideration:

By all accounts, the points of contention between Fallon and Bush administration officials centered on three points: 1) his belief that the indefinite occupation of Iraq is a disaster for the US military, 2) that diplomacy has a central role in American foreign and national security policy, 3) that war is not a credible policy for the US to pursue in dealing with Iran. The last of these was believed to be the key issue.

Looks like his watch is over...

[Miroslav]

Re: Inching Toward Iran: ADM. Fox Resigns

I'm surprised the press got a hold of that...really stupid from the government's standpoint for letting that leak. Not surprising, though.

[toasty]

Re: Inching Toward Iran: ADM. Fox Resigns

seriously, anyone that thinks that the neocons are just going to quietly coast through this last 10 months in office is kidding themselves. Bush and his cronies can do an enormous amount of damage between now and January 2008. God I wish we had a group with some cajones watching over him and checking his power. Instead, we have the democrats.

[88Mariner]

Re: Inching Toward Iran: ADM. Fox Resigns

^ my thoughts, similarly. I wish Fox had the balls to come out and re-affirm everything that's already been said. And not fold unto the foray of bush's left-wing policies.

[CactusBeats]

Re: Inching Toward Iran: ADM. Fox Resigns

No sh*t. Can you imagine if a Democratic president had just had the eight years Bush has had. The right wing radio lunatics would be NuTs (to put it lightly). The federal gov't and fed spending have grown more and faster than during the previous three presidents (Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton) combined. I thought the definition of a liberal was someone who knew how to spend other people's money. Well Bush administration has done that more effectively than any admin in history.