Adios Admiral Fallon

So the administration has canned the head of Central Command,Adm. William Fallon, for speaking out against an invasion of Iran. Or at least saying that it ain't gonna happen.

Required reading in Esquire, here.

When your boss stops taking your phone calls, you know it is the time to pack up your office.

But I have to think this one through.

Is this administration suicidal enough to start a war in an election year? I fear the answer might be "Yes".

What proof would the administration present as a casus belli? Let's just say that Bush's credibility on issues like this is nil. I remember a story concerning the Cuban missile crisis. President Kennedy was talking to DeGaulle and offered to show DeGaulle the reconnaissance photos. DeGaulle supposedly refused the offer and said there is no need for him to doubt the word of the American president. Bush would be ross-examined by world leaders, and found guilty of lying, irrespective of any evidence he might provide.

Where would we get the troops?

We would find ourselves in engaged in ground combat against Muslims in a geographic area ranging from the Fertile Crescent of Iraq to Pakistan.We would radicalize even more Muslims, and we would unite Sunni and Shiites against us, well, even more than they are now.

We would unite the Iranian people against us. I know it sounds funny, but Iranians seem to be displeased with their government because of two issues: the internal economy is collapsing, and they believe their image as a sophisticated people is suffering badly.You have to ask yourself, How committed is Iran to an Islamic Revolution when the women are all concerned about getting nose jobs, and here and here? In how many totalitarian governments do you find only 50% of the electorate going to the polls? "Something is happening there, and what it is ain't exactly clear". I would say that the best course of action would be to pressure that government through diplomatic and economic sanctions, but for those to be effective both Russia and China would have to be on board,and it seems that they are interested in two things: Iran's oil, and keeping the United States boxed in and isolated.

So far, with the cooperation of the Bush administration, they are achieving their goals.