Press TV – 07 Mar 2008
Adm. William Fallon, the head of the US Central Command, may lose his job for opposing President Bush's plans to wage war against Iran.
According to a new Esquire article by Thomas Barnett; Admiral Fallon may be prematurely 'relieved of his command' as soon as this summer to be replaced with a more 'pliable' commander.
"If that were to happen, it may well mean that the president and vice-president intend to take military action against Iran before the end of this year and don't want a commander standing in their way," says the article which will be published on March 12.
Admiral Fallon, who has been named as 'one of the best strategic thinkers in uniform today' by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, opposed the troops surge in Iraq and has consistently battled with President George W. Bush to avert confrontation with Iran.
The Navy admiral has vowed that an attack on Iran would 'not happen on his watch', calling the White House warmongering echelons 'not helpful'.
Washington and its allies are at loggerheads with the Islamic Republic over the country's nuclear standoff with the West.
The Bush administration accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weaponry, while Tehran maintains its uranium enrichment will only provide fuel for the country's under-construction nuclear power plants.
President Bush insists the military option against Iran remains on the table, while his top military experts, including Admiral Fallon, urge the White House to choose a diplomatic approach towards Tehran.
In a Thursday White House press briefing, spokeswoman Dana Perino was asked about the Esquire piece and refused to confirm whether Fallon's position is secure until the end of his tenure.
MD/RE
www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=46317§ionid=3510203
Last updated 12/03/2008
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