Thursday, March 6, 2008

Bush Planning to Fire CENTCOM Chief?

Think Progress has an excellent piece on the possibility that Admiral William Fallon may be gone soon. Thomas P.M. Barnett indicates in a magazine article for Esquire that he might be out at CENTCOM as soon as this summer:

[W]ell-placed observers now say that it will come as no surprise if Fallon is relieved of his command before his time is up next spring, maybe as early as this summer, in favor of a commander the White House considers to be more pliable. 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.


The article goes on to say that Fallon now denies calling General Petraeus an "ass-kissing little chickenshit."

Is that an attempt to hang on to his job? The only thing standing between the Bush Administration and war with Iran is a thin line of leaders, personified by Fallon at CENTCOM. Is getting rid of Fallon an attempt to start a conflict with Iran that has the intention of securing some kind of legacy for the Bush Administration?

The legacy is too shameful to rehabilitate--and no amount of firing people can save it. Especially when they try to fire the wrong people.

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