CNN breaks for briefing from Secretary Robert Gates [CENTCOM Commander Adm. William Fallon Resigns]

CNN | March 11, 2008

[gondramB]

Rumor is Admiral William Fallon will retire suddenly

No link yet

[Joe 6-pack]

Gates resigning his Emperor’s Club membership?

[JRochelle]

Who is that?

[gondramB]

Gates announced Fallon stepping down.

Division causing problems in Iraq. “Disresepect” from the President.

This is different than yesterday

>>Gates silent on report Mideast commander may be replaced

22 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Defense Secretary Robert Gates chose not to comment Monday on a magazine article that says the commander of US forces in the Middle East may soon be replaced because of his opposition to war with Iran.

“He’s read the article in question and will not be commenting on it,” said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell, referring to Gates.

Published by Esquire magazine, the profile described Admiral William Fallon, head of the US Central Command, admiringly as “The Man Between War and Peace.”

It credits Fallon with calming tensions with Iran last year, “creating serious tensions” with the White House by bucking a move toward war.

“Well-placed observers now say that it will come as no surprise if Fallon is relieved of his command before his time is up next spring, maybe as early as this summer, in favor of a commander the White House considers to be more pliable,” said the article by Thomas P.M. Barnett.<<

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h2LLnVFOCU7pjVj5LhSi-g6RQ3vg

[azhenfud]

Is the Emperor Elliot leaving the building?

[gondramB]

>>Who is that?<<

The admiral in charge of Central Command, including Iraq.

[Brilliant]

By coincidence, Fallon now available for Obama’s VP slot.

[USS Alaska]

It's true, Fallon is gone and the RATS in Iran are starting to wonder if the strike is near.

Fallon was against any incursion into Iran.

[gondramB]

>>By coincidence, Fallon now available for Obama’s VP slot.<<

Interesting, CNN is saying Fallon favored talking with Iran.

[Dog]

I guess Fallon found out who still is C-I-N-C.

[pierrem15]

Or Hillary's. Or perhaps he will be working for one of the numerous Middle East 'think tanks' used a bagmen to pass cash to retired US diplomatic and military officials?

Or, maybe he just disagrees about attacking Iran, in which case he needs to be removed because he is incompetent.

[Perdogg]

He was alos opposed to the Surge.

[Dog]

Fallon gave an interview that crossed a line...

It was just this side of what MacArthur

[gondramB]

>>It’s true, Fallon is gone and the RATS in Iran are starting to wonder if the strike is near.

Fallon was against any incursion into Iran.<<

Gates just got asked “does this mean we are going to war with Iran” - his answer ridiculous. His handler cut the reporter off. The next reporter asked the same question. Gates said “ridiculous again” and refused to take more questions.

[Dog]

Did.

[Dog]

What it means is finally Bush grew a set and kneecapped someone.

[gondramB]

Still no link.

This was 42 minutes ago

http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/11/754424.aspx

>>By Jim Miklaszewski, NBC News Chief Pentagon Correspondent

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon sharks are circling CENTCOM Commander Adm. William “Fox” Fallon for a magazine interview in which he appears to openly criticize President Bush on the administration’s Iran policy. The very public comments raised speculation Fallon would either volunteer or be forced to resign.

The current issue of Esquire Magazine portrays Fallon as the one person in the military or Pentagon standing between the White House and war with Iran. The article credits Fallon with “brazenly challenging his commander in chief” over a possible war with Iran, which Fallon called an “ill-advised action,” and implies Fallon would resign rather than go to war against Iran.<<

[gondramB]

Key quote there:

The article credits Fallon with "brazenly challenging his commander in chief" over a possible war with Iran, which Fallon called an "ill-advised action," and implies Fallon would resign rather than go to war against Iran.

[BGHater]

I guess it’s a mere coincidence that VP Cheney is also going over to ME right now.

[USS Alaska]

The demonRATS, who until today never heard of Fallon, are now on TV defending him and his open minded policies of talking to iran.

There will be endless replays of zinni, shakealakealot, and all the other retired arm chair generals, again bringing back all the Rummy haters.

Bush lied, people died, no WMDs, no al-qada in Iraq before we invaded...

[Cap Huff]

You were right the other day when you wrote about this.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Fallon could be out because of this, rather than Iran:

U.S.-IRAQ: Fallon Derided Petraeus, Opposed the Surge

[BGHater]

I expect more Admirals and Generals to retire is ‘there’ is a plan or movement to go into Iran.

[Oldexpat]

Zinni was also a ninni. I guess Fallon will join the Rats and the board of a company selling bad investments with high commissions to junior military people.
Senior officers don’t go around contradicting their commander in chief. Bush left him around too long..that is what happens when you have a wimp as SecDef.

[GulfBreeze]

I read somewhere within the last couple of weeks that if we see Fallon resigning for any reason then the real reason is that Bush is preparing plans to go into Iran or strike them in a major way.

He apparently is vehemently opposed to the idea.

[pierrem15]

Assuming that report is true, then he should have been sacked last September.

Another case where Bush failed to clean out the deadwood right after 9/11. How many general officers and admirals were sacked in the first year of WWII?

[Dog]

Yep....that is what separates us from the third world dictatorship..

We don't brook a military officer telling a sitting President how to run OUR country.

[Southack]

"How many general officers and admirals were sacked in the first year of WWII?"

One of each: Kimmel and Short. Neither organized any meaningful defense or recon of their base at Pearl Harbor...but both found plenty of time to golf at country clubs and attend high society parties.

[Miss Didi]

I guess it’s a mere coincidence that VP Cheney is also going over to ME right now.

And McCain is heading over at the end of this month. Hmmmmmm....

[ladyjane]

That report about Fallon dissing Petraeus was lamestream media b.s. Never happened.

[Dog]

General McClellan also failed to maintain the trust of Lincoln, and proved to be frustratingly insubordinate to the commander-in-chief. After he was relieved of command, McClellan became the unsuccessful Democratic nominee opposing Lincoln in the 1864 presidential election. His party had an anti-war platform, promising to end the war and negotiate with the Confederacy, which McClellan was forced to repudiate, damaging the effectiveness of his campaign.

Obama found his running mate.

[Perdogg]

Might be related

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1982272/posts

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Bingo!?

[omega4179]

He’s paid to bomb whoever the cic says to not whine in the dbm

[ladyjane]

That report was not true. Bush hand-picked Fallon last year when he was head of the Pacific forces.

[em2vn]

Fallen is the genius who recently signed an agreement with the commander of the Canadian Army under which each nation will send military personnal to the other nation in case of a domestic emergency.

[txflake]

ping

[tioga]

customer #4???

[meema]

Being an Admiral, he may have some concern about all OUR SHIPS (and Sailors etc.) stuck in the Persian Gulf.. I, for one, was/am happy he was there. I don't want war with Iran, either. I'm sorry to see him leave, if this was the reason. We should have more high ranking military telling the "decider" & Company to stop banging the war drums! And the President SHOULD LISTEN. And Yes, a Pubbie all my life, first vote in 1960 for Nixon, and proud of it. Voted twice for W...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Are you SURE about that??? I heard about the bad blood between the two from various other sources. Fallon seems to be a first class jackass.

[Dog]

Question....

Who was elected as the "decider"?

Fallon or Bush?

[Dog]

Voted twice for W...

I bet you did.

[Fundamentally Fair]

Fallen is the genius who recently signed an agreement with the commander of the Canadian Army under which each nation will send military personnal to the other nation in case of a domestic emergency.

No he's not. Canada isn't in USSOUTCOM's AOR. Gene Renuart, commander of USNORTHCOM signed.

Everybody take a breath.

[DWC]

Did you agree with Reagan on bombing libya?

[em2vn]

Thank you. I stand corrected.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

No, that was U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of USNORTHCOM, and Canadian Air Force Lt. Gen. Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command, who signed that agreement.

[ladyjane]

Yes, I am SURE about that.

The Army guys have been p.o.’d that Petraeus had to report to an admiral. There has been much discontent among the Army brass because a navy guy is in charge. For the past year they’ve been feeding bad information to the media.

Everyone I know who has worked for Fallon (except army guys) thinks the world of him.

[StAnDeliver]

"It's true, Fallon is gone and the RATS in Iran are starting to wonder if the strike is near."

Serendipity!

[misterrob]

It was interesting though how long Truman put up with McArthur in the era of Korea.

[Dog]

Fallon allowed himself to be perceived above his Commander in chief.

That is a NO NO.