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How does a Commander in Chief replace a senior military officer after he is portrayed in Esquire magazine as "brazenly challenging" foreign policy? NBC's Jim Miklaszewski told us. President George Bush did not fire Admiral William Fallon, the head of Central Command. Instead, according to Miklaszewski's unidentified sources, the White House put pressure on Defense Secretary Robert Gates to stop taking Fallon's telephone calls, "making it clear he had to go." Fallon resigned and Gates accepted "with reluctance and regret."
The Pentagon's Central Command includes the theaters of Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. In Iraq, ABC's Jonathan Karl (embargoed link) reported, Fallon had criticized Gen David Petraeus' surge-minded tactics "pushing for a quicker drawdown of US troops." Concerning Afghanistan, Fallon had told ABC's Martha Raddatz that the war there had been neglected because of the focus on Iraq. And on Iran, Karl quoted Esquire's prediction that a firing of Fallon would signify President George Bush's intention to attack militarily. CBS' David Martin acknowledged that Fallon opposed war with Iran but pointed out that "virtually every senior military officer is opposed" too.
All three networks quoted Secretary Gates' assertion that it is "ridiculous" to conclude that Fallon's departure portends a looming Iran War.
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