ADM Fallon done

It's amazing how the media spin the headlines. You'd get the impression that he DOESN'T want to go into Iran, and that he is either resigning in protest or else being fired.

Then you read his own statement:

"Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the president's policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time and hamper efforts in the Centcom region," Fallon, who is traveling in Iraq, said in a statement issued by his U.S. headquarters in Tampa

"And although I don't believe there have ever been any differences about the objectives of our policy in the Central Command area of responsibility, the simple perception that there is makes it difficult for me to effectively serve America's interests there," he said.

Now, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement of whatever policy is being discussed, and one could argue that he is simply being politic, but if that's the case, why the leading headlines?

I hate the media. Want to know the truth? DON'T listen to them and your chances of getting it go up by at least 80%. :mad:

41 years of service. Damn! :eek:
 
I read somewhere else that the troll who wrote the first article, showing him in disagreement with the President was traveling with him and given full access, then does a hatchet job on him. I'll try to find the original and post it.
 
Am I the first one this morning to think of the possible devastation of an Obama-Fallon ticket to the McCain camp? We are talking about probably the number one expert in both Middle East and Far East policy?
 
It was a well-established rumor that when Admiral Fallon was first considered for Centcom that the administration wanted a carrier expert in that position for Iran. Was it a bad rumor, did they not vet him properly, did he change his mind, or did he keep quiet on his true beliefs? I am leaning toward the latter.

Admiral Fallon was out of line. Peter D Feaver sums it up quite nicely. From the Washington Post:
Peter D. Feaver, a former staff member of Bush's National Security Council, said that the public nature of Fallon's remarks made it necessary for the admiral to step down. "There is ample room for military leaders to debate administration policy behind closed doors," said Feaver, a political scientist at Duke University. "However, taking such arguments into the media would violate basic democratic norms of civil-military relations."
The following statement is an example of the violation to which he was referring. Fallon was ‘playing’ to the press:
The article quotes Fallon as saying one day in Cairo that "I'm in hot water again" with the White House, apparently for telling Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the United States would not attack Iran.
The possibility of such results which he mentions below should have caused him to reconsider the interview in the first place. Again from the WP:
Asked about the article yesterday, Fallon called it "poison pen stuff" that is "really disrespectful and ugly."
Lastly, another statement to which I take issue.
Fallon, a career naval aviator
Fallon is not a Naval Aviator. He is a Naval Flight Officer. Huge difference. See the Naval Aviator vs Naval Flight Officer section of the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Flight_Officer

What irritates me about this is that I have been following his career for the last dozen years or so and have read all his official biographies. They have evolved from correctly stating that he is an NFO, to implying that he is a pilot. A single episode could be written off as an over zealous flag secretary, but for it to happen a half dozen times implies the admirals intent. So strong an implication that both the Esquire article and the Washington Post has mistakingly referred to him as a pilot/Naval Aviator. Someone through such an innocuous deception might possibly ‘need’ an article to tell the world how ‘important’they are. This was not such a misquoted journalist with an agenda but someone who was 'embedded' for a year.

And the more I think about it, the more certain that Obama has already awakened an assistant this morning and asked him to locate Fallon's phone number.
 
Am I the first one this morning to think of the possible devastation of an Obama-Fallon ticket to the McCain camp? We are talking about probably the number one expert in both Middle East and Far East policy?


I think presidential candidates are wary of choosing a career Navy admiral as a running mate again after the performance of Jim Stockdale during the 92 debates.

Despite his brilliance and heroic military career, the media portrayed him as a buffoon.

If they can do it to a man like him, they can do it to anyone.
 
Jim Stockdale - who's that?

Interesting theory though - would not have to be Veep - could be Sec of State or Sec of Defense.....
Someone of Fallon's military background and knowledge of world affairs would fill a hole in an Obama candidacy. Fallon is clearly opposed to the Bush philosophy on the war as is the majority of the American people - I doubt the media will turn him into a buffoon now.

With less than 8 months left before the election - I am hearing the Beach Boys singing in the background getting louder and louder. yuk.
 
Luigi59 said:
I think presidential candidates are wary of choosing a career Navy admiral as a running mate again after the performance of Jim Stockdale during the 92 debates.

Despite his brilliance and heroic military career, the media portrayed him as a buffoon.

If they can do it to a man like him, they can do it to anyone.

Not to belittle Admiral Stockdale, but his Naval career does not hold a candle to Admiral Fallon. He was selected as Perot’s Vice Presidential candidate because he was a brilliant war hero. He also should have had Public Speaking 101 before being unleashed on the press. Admiral Fallon is totally different. Between CincPac, dealing with the Chinese and North Koreans, and CentCom, dealing with the Middle East, he is an expert without parallel. Even though he might properly be called a ‘grumpy old man’, his knowledge is paramount. If Obama doesn’t woo him, he will definitely be on the short list for a cabinet position with whoever might be elected President.
 
Oh didn't remember at all that he was Perot's running mate -
In 1992 I had 3 kids who were under 5 years old - I had some foggy years.

back to our original programming.....................................
 
This discussion is proceeding on the assumption that Obama doesn't get Fort Marcey Parked between wherever he is now and Denver.

With Her Royal Highness, the Princess of New York and Dutchess of Arkansas running, I leave nothing out of the realm of possibilities.
 
USNA69 Quote:
"Am I the first one this morning to think of the possible devastation of an Obama-Fallon ticket to the McCain camp? We are talking about probably the number one expert in both Middle East and Far East policy?"

USNA69, you were not the only one thinking that way. I read on Thomas P.M. Barnett's weblog this morning - speculation that Fallon might be a Vice Presidential candidate: http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/2008/03/fallon_trip_posts_days_one_and.html#comments

I looked around on the web but Fallon for VP does not seem to be a common thought. But I did find this article:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NGU2YmQzZTJjYWMyN2NkZmIwOGNiODkzZGU4YTkxODU=

P.S. my quote and insert link buttons are not working...
 
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USNA69 you said:
Fallon is not a Naval Aviator. He is a Naval Flight Officer.

Here is Fallon's official DoD bio:
http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=49

He was never a Naval Aviator in the official Navy definition of the term.

Here is an article critical of Fallon:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-boot12mar12,0,5337128.story

And one praising him:
http://www.metimes.com/Editorial/2008/03/12/editorial_firing_admiral_fallon/1134/

The news of Fallon's resignation did not even make page three of my local paper.
 
excerpt from a statement by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va (USNA-1968) on Fallon's resignation:

One of the lessons of the build up to the Iraq War is that the advice of our most senior military officers was too often ignored by the civilian leadership within the Bush administration. In the coming days and weeks, I hope that we can call on Admiral Fallon to more directly share his thoughts and concerns with the American people.”

http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=294614
 
Antoinette said:
He was never a Naval Aviator in the official Navy definition of the term.

The previous two bios I saw of him in prior billets omitted the following phrase which is in the one you linked:

and was designated a naval flight officer upon completion of flight training in December 1967

Maybe the Stolen Valor Law is working.
 
White House: No friction with Fallon

Today's spin:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23592949/#storyContinued

............
Gates said he did not think it was the Esquire article alone that prompted Fallon to quit. Rather, Gates thought it was "a cumulative kind of thing" that he and Fallon had failed to put "behind us." He also dismissed as "ridiculous" any notion that Fallon's departure signals the United States is planning to go to war with Iran. ....
 
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