Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., March 13, 2008 Adar2 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:24 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 04:35 13/03/2008 ANALYSIS: Admiral's break with Bush on Iran lands him on the outs By Amir Oren, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: William Fallon, Iran  With everybody focusing on John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, it takes a special effort to remember the Bush-Cheney duo. This service is being provided by Admiral William Fallon, with his forced resignation as head of the U.S. Central Command overseeing Middle East operations. On the agenda are inseparable issues: Iran; the relationship between the political and military echelons; the elections; the candidates as commanders-in-chief; recommendations of retired military people, and the unexpected - terror strikes or war - before November. If not for this mixture, Bush would have no difficulty holding back after an article in Esquire presented Fallon as single-handedly stopping a Bush-Cheney assault on Iran. Quotes from Fallon, as opposed to the impressions of the writer, which were based on his time spent with Fallon for several weeks, from Cairo to Kabul, said nothing new. As opposed to president Jimmy Carter's secretary of state, Cyrus Vance, who opposed the operation to rescue the hostages in the U.S. Embassy in Iran in April 1980 to the point of resigning in protest, Fallon did not threaten to quit nor did he refuse an order. He even said that if war broke out with Iran, the Iranians would be crushed like ants. It is all a matter of timing. If Fallon's statements had been published six months ago, or six months from now, they would raise no more than a yawn. But this week they were the straw that broke the camel's back. The closer their political time comes to running out, the more opposition to Bush and Cheney's hostile policies toward Iran they encounter within their own security establishment. A particularly harsh blow was delivered four months ago by retired admiral Mike McConnell, whom Bush appointed director of National Intelligence, with the release of the benign report on Iran's nuclear program. Advertisement Fallon, who enjoyed the role of the voice of wisdom and dialogue in contrast to Bush and Cheney's saber-rattling, was one admiral too many. Maybe he forgot how Cheney, secretary of defense in Bush senior's cabinet, harshly berated Air Force Commander Larry Welch, who had lobbied Congress for increased budgets in rebellion against the Pentagon's priorities. Cheney subsequently fired Welch's successor, Michael Dugan; Dugan's Esquire was the Washington Post, and the issue was not Iran, but Iraq. The penalty was the same. Just last week, Fallon testified before Congress about Iran and its damaging activities in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza. The words were belligerent Bush style, but it was Fallon's placatory music, because the dispute is not about the diagnosis, but rather the treatment. Fallon also fell out with his subordinate, General David Petraeus, the commander of the forces in Iraq, and Petraeus, who turned failure into success, however relative, is the darling of Bush and McCain. Whoever falls out with them is seen as indirectly assisting the Democrats. The Democrats are happy to lean on him, but in line for practical politics as a senior retired officer is General Wesley Clark, who wanted to run but failed and became a Clinton supporter. Mary Fallon, the admiral's wife, wrote recently to friends in Israel that Bill is very, very busy, but who knows, they may see each other at their ranch in Montana. They may indeed have more time on their hands Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bring the house down Dichter to police: Demolish home of J'lem yeshiva terrorist. Media frenzy Israel to boycott Al-Jazeera TV, claiming incitement to terror.   1.   Now Fallon can testify truthfully in front of Congress 03:47  |  Pablo B 13/03/08   2.   Just Watch How Fast He`s Swiftboated 09:14  |  Mark of Lewiston 13/03/08

Today Online FM: Israel to stop West Bank settlement activities Responses: 24 Islamic Jihad fires 15 rockets at Israel, ending week lull Responses: 22 Amira Hass: PA officials should act more like Gandhi Responses: 2 Poll: Half of Jewish public oppose Arabs in their neighborhoods Responses: 11 Wagner show in Nazi-era hall to raise funds for Ramallah venue Responses: 10 Rosner's Domain General Fraser and the third whiner What General Fallon didn't get (WTR) Israeli leadership: A mixture of paranoia and luck Poll: Cease-fire with Hamas, a good idea? How Qassams changed the conflict (WTR) More Headlines 08:47 FM: Israel to stop W. Bank settlement activities 10:07 Islamic Jihad fires 15 rockets at Israel, ending week lull 10:08 Israel and the U.S. / Washington dissatisfied with Israel's footdragging in W. Bank 09:13 Targeted assassination / Little room for mistakes 09:18 Wagner show in Nazi-era hall to raise funds for Ramallah venue 09:51 Poll: Half of Israeli Jews don't want Arabs in their communities 09:58 Body of yeshiva gunman buried in private East J'lem ceremony 09:24 Power plays delay recovery of Shoah restitution body 05:57 Sorry, no more children, hopeful parents told after years of waiting to adopt 08:13 IBA exec tried for indecent acts on minor still runs kids' radio 06:58 Rightist rabbis call on Jews to avenge yeshiva killings 04:35 ANALYSIS: Admiral's break with Bush on Iran lands him on the outs Previous Editions Select Day 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb

Special Offers Advertisement FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer READY FOR PURIM? BUT - Who Will Guard The Hamentasch? Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM FREE JEWISH HISTORY COURSE Berel Wein's best selling lectures. 5000 Years in Five hours /CD/MP3 Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved