From
Gareth Porter:
.....
One of Fallon's first moves on taking command of Centcom was to order his subordinates to avoid the term "long war" - a phrase Bush and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had used to describe the fight against terrorism. ..... Fallon was signaling his unhappiness with the policy of US occupation of Iraq for an indeterminate period. Military sources explained that Fallon was concerned that the concept of a long war would alienate Middle East publics by suggesting that US troops would remain in the region indefinitely.
During the summer, according to the September 9 report in the Post, Fallon began to develop his own plans for redefining the US mission in Iraq, including a plan for withdrawal of three-quarters of the US troop strength by the end of 2009.
The conflict between Fallon and Petraeus over Iraq came to a head early this month. According to the Post story, Fallon expressed views on Iraq that were sharply at odds with those of Petraeus in a three-way conversation with Bush on Iraq the previous weekend. Petraeus argued for keeping as many troops in Iraq for as long as possible to cement any security progress, but Fallon argued that a strategic withdrawal from Iraq was necessary to have sufficient forces to deal with other potential threats in the region.
Fallon's presentation to Bush of the case against Petraeus's recommendation for keeping troop levels in Iraq at the highest possible level just before Petraeus was to go public with his recommendations was another sign that Petraeus's role as chief spokesman for the "surge" policy has created a deep rift between him and the nation's highest military leaders. Bush presumably would not have chosen to invite an opponent of the "surge" policy to make such a presentation without lobbying by the top brass.
Fallon had a "visceral distaste" for what he regarded as Petraeus's sycophantic behavior in general, which had deeper institutional roots, according to a military source familiar with his thinking.
Fallon is a veteran of 35 years in the US Navy, operating in an institutional culture in which an officer is expected to make enemies in the process of advancement. "If you are navy captain and don't have two or three enemies, you're not doing your job," said the source.
Fallon acquired a reputation for a willingness to stand up to powerful figures during his tenure as commander-in-chief of the Pacific Command from February 2005 to March 2007. He pushed hard for a conciliatory line toward China, which put him in conflict with senior military and civilian officials with a vested interest in pointing to China as a future rival and threat.
He demonstrated his independence from the White House when he refused in February to go along with a proposal to send a third aircraft-carrier task force to the Persian Gulf. Fallon questioned the military necessity for the move, which would have signaled to Iran a readiness to go to war. Fallon also privately vowed that there would be no war against Iran on his watch, implying that he would quit rather than accept such a policy.
A crucial element of Petraeus's path of advancement in the US Army, on the other hand, was through serving as an aide to senior generals. He was assistant executive officer to the army chief of staff, General Carl Vuono, and later executive assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Henry Shelton. His experience taught him that cultivating senior officers is the key to success.
The contrasting styles of the two men converged with their conflict over Iraq to produce one of the most intense clashes between US military leaders in recent history.
We've already heard from Bush's sycophant. He told Senator Warner that he
doesn't know if the war in Iraq is making America safer.
The turning point in the debate over Iraq will almost certainly turn out to have occurred during General Petraeus’ congressional testimony when he was asked if the war in Iraq has made America safer. His answer was a very bitter pill for Republican Senators to swallow.
During the hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday, Senator John Warner, Republican from Virginia, asked General Petraeus if the war in Iraq was making America safer. General Petraeus shocked Republicans when he responded, "Sir, I don't know, actually. I haven't sat down and sorted it out in my own mind."
This clearly unscripted and unwelcome comment disturbed Republican lawmakers, who probably should have floated the question by the General in private, before asking it in public.
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Now we want to hear from Admiral Fallon.