Bill Fallon, I'm proud to have served and partied with you

[FightingIrish]

I haven’t seen Bill Fallon for forty years. We were shipmates on two NROTC midshipman cruises and went through the Naval Aviation Training Command in Pensacola together. My roommate in Pensacola was a Villanova classmate of Bill’s and we partied together. Bill was fun guy, a little irreverent and not a high achiever. His poor grades earned him a crap assignment in the back seat of a photo reconnaissance plane. I was blown away when decades later he was in the news as the Vice Chief of Naval Operations trying to smooth over the crisis of a US submarine sinking a Japanese training vessel. I never took the guy for a lifer and never would have guessed he would make flag rank.

I was even more surprised when he was given the command of Centcom. I very wrongly assumed that he had kissed ass all the way to the top in fine Navy tradition. I learned that underachieving Bill Fallon had become quite a student and was recognized for his scholarship in international affairs. He was clearly his own man and his assignment may have been another Bush blunder. The surprises after that were all pleasant as he showed the wisdom and the courage to publicly question the Bush doctrine. Hid sudden “resignation” is ominous to say the least. God help us if it means what many fear. Maybe Bill’s irreverent days are not over and we will hear him speaking freely against the madness of the Bush administration. Wherever you are Bill, I’m proud to have known you.

[Hekate]

1. Thanks for the insight into his character. We've lost far too many fine officers to these criminals

Alas, knowing nothing about him but that he had taken this job, I pretty much said to Mr. H --"It's the end of his career, and I'm sorry."

Hekate

[samplegirl]

2. Let's face it he's not resigning because he's tired

I think he knows what is ahead and he wants no part of invading Iran. Cheney is about to take a trip there and its not because he cares about peace. The invasion of Iran is coming and the signs are evident.

http://zenhuber.blogspot.com/2007/01/navy-admiral-goes-to-centcom-be-very.html

[artemisia1]

3. Kicked and Recommended. /nt

[Hatfield]

4. FightingIrish, Thank You for Your Service

And for the insight into Commander Fallon. I dare not think what the repercussions may be from his resignation. He seemed as if was the last of a dying breed speaking out against conflict in the Middle East. Let's hope that his voice of reason is recognized in the media during the beat of the war drum against Iran in the months ahead.