Esquire: Bush may replace Adm. Fallon of CENTCOM because he opposes Iran warmongering

[NewJeffCT]

This is from Digby, via Think Progress from Esquire... I'm sure we'll see the inevitable swift-boating of this guy.

>>>

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has called CENTCOM commander Adm. William Fallon “one of the best strategic thinkers in uniform today.” Fallon opposed the “surge” in Iraq and has consistently battled the Bush administration to avoid a confrontation with Iran, calling officials’ war-mongering “not helpful.” Privately, he has vowed that an attack on Iran “will not happen on my watch.”

Unfortunately, this level-headed thinking and willingness to stand up to President Bush may cost him his job. According to a new article by Thomas P.M. Barnett in the April issue of Esquire magazine (on newsstands March 12), Fallon may be prematurely “relieved of his command” as soon as this summer

If the Republicans want to shoot the moon to win in November, this is the likliest course. Start a new war and rely on the "rally round the flag" effect. It's hard to imagine they could go to that well again, but never underestimate paranoia and the lure of patriotic grandeur and big ratings to push the country into temporary insanity.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/

[Poiuyt]

1. Frankly, I'm surprised that Fallon was even appointed to that position in the first place

[NewJeffCT]

3. i know

Sanity & competence aren't really required to work in the Bush White House.

[babylonsister]

2. So he's going to throw Fallon under the bus and possibly

ruin the end of a stellar career due to his desire for continual warmongering? How tiny of him. And I can't imagine there are many military guys left who will go along with this idea of endless war.

I also think starting a new war might be just a bit obvious, even for these bozos. Doesn't mean they won't do it though.

[SpiralHawk]

5. Hell, Commander AWOL & republicon chickenhawk cronies already purged the Pentagon

They did that shortly after they stole the election. "you are either with us or against us." The republicon chickenhawks sacked some of our finest military minds and most honorable career military officers to put their own kool-aid guzzling True-Believer hacks in place...people who would take orders from a Deserter, and his sidekick VP Dickie "Five Military Deferments" Cheney...

Ptoooey!

[bdamomma]

4. oh crap this is not good at all, these thugs have to be arrested.

Americans will not rally around the flag either not this time around. I hate these people.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Yes They Will. The TeeVee Will Tell Them To

[NewJeffCT]

7. you're right, unfortunately

TV loves the ratings and will beat the drumbeat for war.

[AndyTiedye]

8. They Would Shill for the Warmongers Even if It Hurts Their Ratings (Which it Does)

GE makes more off of the war than they can ever hope to make off of NBC. NBC is their propaganda department.

Are the other networks any different?

[NewJeffCT]

9. NBC is pretty high profile, though

so, if their ratings suck, it trickles down to the rest of the company.

[bdamomma]

11. just like they did for Iraq, and that was disgusting.

it was the Countdown to War in Iraq, sickening truly sickening, that we continue on this path.

[bdamomma]

10. are they (Americans) that ignorant that they will fall for this???

1 war in Afghanistan and 1 occupation of a country isn't that enough death yet?

[notadmblnd]

12. I think, not only our soldiers but we as people suffer from war fatigue

I know many republicans supported this war because as one put it to me back in 2003, "everytime there's a war, we make money," and people are seeing that this is not the case. The economy is in the tank, the little guy is not making money off this war and they're not willing to sacrifice their kids if they're not benefiting from it. I don't think starting another war will work.

[NewJeffCT]

13. I think people will turn against it faster

however, I think there will be an initial "surge" of support for it.

[CGowen]

14. just great n/t