Admiral William Fallon resigned from his position yesterday as the
Commander, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) just short of his one year anniversary in the position. A naval aviator with over
4,800 of tactical jet flight time and many years in command positions
from a Carrier Group Commander (watch TopGun again) to Commander U.S.
Pacific Command, he leaves a 41-year military career. The question is, was it by force or
by choice?
Part of the Bush team of senior officials charged with implementing a revised Iraq
war policy, it appears he had a falling out with the administration. His resignation portrayed him as opposed to President Bush's Iran policy.
This is not the first time Admiral Fallon broke ranks
with the
Administration. Regarding the Iraqi conflict, he suggested that we
took
the eye off the ball in Afghanistan by waging war in Iraq and often called for a reallocation of troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. And in an
Esquire magazine interview, he portrayed himself as the lone voice opposed to taking military action against Iran.
So was his resignation prompted by the administration?
Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell, a Bush appointee, said the
White House played no role in Fallon's move and that "people should not
misconstrue this as the price to be paid for speaking out within the
Pentagon."
According
to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, “this [Fallon's resignation] is a cumulative
kind of thing, not the result of any one article or issue.” he went on to label Fallon's resignation as "the right thing to do."
But the truth of it is, despite an awe-inspiring 41-year military career, no one inside the Bush power circle, including the President, had many nice words to say about Fallon.
According to government insiders, disagreements behind the scenes are
acceptable, but taking on the President in the public arena is a cardinal sin.
Admiral Fallon can now join other distinguished Bush appointees that resigned by choice, or so they say, such as, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, and General Colin Powell, who
was quoted as saying: "it has always been my intention that I would
serve one term." But off the record, a senior State Department admitted Powell "was not asked to stay."
So whose voice will be silenced by the Administration next?