Fallon falls: Iran should worry-Asia Times Online

[go west young man]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JC13Ak01.html

Fallon's policy positions made him unpopular among neo-conservative supporters of the administration. One neo-conservative pundit, military specialist Max Boot, criticized Fallon last November for his public comment ruling out a strike against Iran and then suggested in January that Petraeus should replace the "unimpressive" Fallon at CENTCOM.

Fallon was playing a complex political game at CENTCOM by crossing the White House on the two most politically sensitive issues in Middle East policy. As a veteran bureaucratic infighter, he knew that he was politically vulnerable. Nevertheless, he chose late last year not to lower his profile but to raise it by cooperating fully with the Esquire article.

IPS has learned that Fallon agreed to sit for celebrity photographer Peter Yang at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa on December 26 for the Esquire spread, despite the near-certainty that it would exacerbate his relations with the White House. That may have been a signal that he already knew that he would not be able to continue to play the game much longer and was ready to bring his stormy tenure at CENTCOM to an end

[AlertLurker]

1. The WH could be using his "retirement" to send a message to Iran.

I realize that subtlety is something they are not often known for, but it is a great way to rattle the sabre without actually sabre-rattling.

Fallon has known his day was done for a while - why else the Esquire spread? Perhaps he agreed to be used in this manner?

[bemildred]

2. Saying Boot is a "military specialist" is like saying Kenny Lay is a "financial expert". nt