Centcom Commander Quits over Perceived Disagreements on Iran, Iraq

In the current Esquire magazine, Admiral William Fallon is described as "brazenly challenging his commander in chief," especially over the prospect of war with Iran. An article by a former teacher at the Naval War College says Fallon's removal of the head of Central Command would mean that "the President and Vice President intend to take military action against Iran." As the head of Centcom, Fallon is in charge of military strategy in the most troubled parts of the world. Both he and Defense Secretary Gates say Fallon has not been at odds with White House policies. But his abrupt resignation yesterday, after barely a year, suggests otherwise. Peter Spiegel is Pentagon correspondent for the Los Angeles Times.