RJ Eskow asks (via The Smirking Chip): Where is Admiral Fallon, Petraeus’ boss, while his subordinate testifies to Congress?
Where is Gen. Petraeus’ boss?
Admiral William J. Fallon is the head of CENTCOM, responsible not only for Iraq but for all our current and potential military activity in the region. It’s well known in Washington circles that Admiral Fallon has a far more realistic view of the war, considers the “Surge” a failure (as do most security experts), and wants to substantially draw down our troop presence in Iraq.
So, yes, why isn’t Admiral Fallon testifying? And why haven’t the Democratic committee chairs requested he testify? Wouldn’t you like to hear what he thinks about Petraeus’ job performance?
Just asking.
Remember, fallon is a navy guy. He is getting ready for his really big show- The attacks on Iran!
The reports about Fallon suggest he has been a strong voice opposing any attack on Iran. And apparently he’s not the only one among the military leadership. Only the Air Force appears to be really gung ho about a military strike on Iran, probably because they would suffer the least consequences from any blowback.
I was wondering why Congress doesn’t bring him in too, especially after reading this exchange with Feingold yesterday (h/t to firedoglake)
Sees to me that if Petraues can’t give them answers, they should be asking Fallon the questions instead.
Fallon apparently wants a major decrease of forces in Iraq according to the WaPo article Sunday which is linked above in the excerpt from Eskow’s post.
Well, I guess that explains why the WH hasn’t included him in the ‘reporting’ process. But why hasn’t Congress invited him to participate in the decision-making process?
Another good question. Is it timidity? Or something worse — tacit complicity?
Or just more of their typical 5-steps-behnd-the-GOP-and-snookered-again strategery?
Fallon is totally out of the loop, along with Gates.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090801846_pf.html
Both of them have been bypassed. Bush has gone directly to Petraeus on Iraq and Iran is in the hands of STRATCOM. That’s what the SOAS study shows, as both Raw Story and Scott Horton have reported:
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/09/hbc-90001184
What Fallon gets to do is unclear, Somalia maybe.
This is a dog and pony show by Bush and his acolyte Petraeus. Fallon knows perfectly well that it’s a bunch of crap. Why would he want to be involved?
Reports are beginning to filter in that he has been extraordinarily renditioned to Guantanamo for some reprogramming. We will hear from him after the waterboarding and sleep deprivation have done their work.
AG