Fallon: ‘Constant drumbeat’ of Iran war talk ‘not helpful.’
In an interview with al Jazeera television, CentCom Commander Admiral William Fallon warned that constant talk of bombing Iran is not hepful. “This constant drumbeat of conflict is what strikes me which is not helpful and not useful,” he said. “I expect that there will be no war and that is what we ought to be working for,” said Fallon. “It is not a good idea to be in a state of war. We ought to try and to do our utmost to create different conditions.”
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43 Responses to “Fallon: ‘Constant drumbeat’ of Iran war talk ‘not helpful.’”
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Not a good attitude if you’re trying to “catapult the apocalypse”.
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:18 pm“It is not a good idea to be in a state of war
Stating the obvious. Better than most govt. officials. Bushco and the Kool-aid gang are still beating the war drums with no thought of the consequences.
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:18 pmwell, he’ll be fired in another week or two
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:20 pm* an interview with al Jazeera television *
HOLY CRAP!!!
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:26 pmgood on you, sir! … way to take it to the people…
i hope you are totally sincere! … actually, i’m counting on it…
…
More than anyone else, a military man knows that “It is not a good idea to be in a state of war.”
Five-deferment Cheney is as far from a military man as you can get, however.
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:28 pm“It is not a good idea to be in a state of war. “
Well, it depends.
It is not good if you are a healthy, mentally sound, person, and/or if you actually care for your fellow citizens.
But if your goal is to control the population though fear, a never-ending state of war is the place to be. Any dissenter can be easily labeled as being an enemy, a sympathiser, a collaborator, etc. and put away for life.
One only has to look back at the years of the Cold War, and the McCarthyte witch hunts to realise how politically useful an external enemy is. Even if imaginary. The personality cult followers, loyalists, and assorted sheep will take care of the details.
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:29 pmI think Fallon wants out. Isn’t he the guy who supposedly short-circuited an attack on Iran months ago? Maybe he knows it’s going to go down and he doesn’t want to be a part of it. I have a hard time believing warmonger Cheney would want him around after this.
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:34 pm“It is not a good idea to be in a state of war. “
Well, it depends.
It is not good if you are a healthy, mentally sound, person, and/or if you actually care for your fellow citizens.
But if your goal is to control the population though fear, a never-ending state of war is the place to be. Any dissenter can be easily labeled as being an enemy, a sympathiser, a collaborator, etc. and put away for life.
One only has to look back at the years of the Cold War, and the McCarthyte witch hunts to realise how politically useful an external enemy is. Even if imaginary. The personality cult followers, loyalists, and assorted sheep will take care of the details.
Comment by Gregor Samsa — September 23, 2007 @ 1:29 pm
Thanks Gregor. You said what I meant to say. Well done and worth repeating.
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:35 pmHow soon will it be before Michelle Malkin sics her Internet Goon Squad on the obviously “Librul” Admiral Fallon?
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:52 pmDaddy War Bucks says;
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:54 pm“It is a good idea to be in a state of war. “
Thanks jb ;-)
I missed to mention that fear is a very effective political tool in authoritarian, totalitarian, one-party regimes. The kind Rove & Co. had in mind for the US, with their idea of absolute Republican control for the foreseeable future, both in the White House and in Congress…
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:54 pmGregor, nothing to be added to your statement, that’s what it’s all about!
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:56 pmI’d love to see him say that on the U.S. airwaves. He’d be strung from the rafters by real defenders of America’s liberty in our Administration and the MSM. Bush and Hannity would strap on their studliest combat fatigues and proclaim that Admiral Fallon wants the Islamo-fascists to win and he obviously hates America.
God bless America and spite the rest!
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:56 pm#9 How long did it take them to daemonize Sally Field?
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 pmSomeone should tell “Bomb Iran” McCain and the other assorted republicans and neocons who are drooling over the thought of war with Iran.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:04 pmCaptain Steubing is right!
Sorry, had to do that.
But tell me, what Bizarro World do we now live in that it has to be pointed out to our elected officials that we should be working to avoid war and not start them?
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:06 pmI would expect that the Admiral’s retirement will be announced any day now.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:12 pmWonder if the Reich wing will run an ad or make statements desparaging the character of Admiral Fallon since he went on Al Jazeera.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:13 pm“Bushco and the Kool-aid gang are still beating the war drums with no thought of the consequences.”
Comment by jb — September 23, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
jb, I would submit that you may be in error. As rare as their thoughts are, DUHbya and the Kool-aids do constantly have thoughts of war and they are religiously aware of the consequences. The problem occurs when the “consequences” are defined. You and I and the rest of the thinking individuals in this Country look to the negative aspects of war in terms of the cost in dollars, resources, and lives. The bushco, on the other side of the grim coin look to the positive aspects of war in terms of the profit in dollars alone to the bushco. The Country’s resources and the lives of our troops mean nothing to them except money in their own pockets.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:16 pmThe Country’s resources and the lives of our troops mean nothing to them except money in their own pockets.
Comment by Clyde the Ripper — September 23, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
This debacle in Iraq seems to be nothing more that a business deal designed to spend the treasury via the privatizing of the Iraq economy, war and resources. Now we have Blackwater and various other corruptions running amok. 8 billion in cash just disappeared. Hundreds of thousand of innocents killed, 4800 dead US soldiers, biggest Al Quaeda recruiting station ever, lost respect for USA across the entire world….Dirty business indeed.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:32 pmWhen you have a bully in charge, the only kind of diplomacy you’re going to get is threats.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:38 pmOmega’s got Strangelove Syndrome bigtime.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:42 pmBushco’s intent has always been to economically destroy the ability of the Federal government to provide any services to its citizens other than military protection. Extending the military beyond its ability will result in a demand by the Repubs in 2008 and beyond to stop funding health and welfare programs, eliminate oversight agencies and funnel all the money into rebuilding the military so that terrorists will not come into your home with a dirty bomb. Allowing private profits from the actions of Bushco is not viewed as a bad aspect of this war, it’s the role they believe is right for government.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:42 pmI sure hope we can keep some Jihadis from taking over the whole world, like the Communists did after we left Viet Nam.
Everyone knows that hysterical overreaction is the best and only defense.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:48 pmwell, he’ll be fired in another week or two
Comment by tombaker — September 23, 2007
I would expect that the Admiral’s retirement will be announced any day now.
Comment by screech — September 23, 2007
I think Fallon wants out. …Cheney would want him around after this.
Comment by marlow — September 23, 2007
He just needs some time with his family.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:56 pmTaking a cue from Omega Man, we should bomb Pakistan, too. They have nukes, have been directly engaged in proliferation, and Osama has put out the word to get Musharraf. We don’t want nukes in the jihadis hands, do we? Better bomb them now before it’s too late.
Come to think of it, we should bomb Russia and China, too. Russia is helping Iran with their nuclear program, and China has supplied Iran with military equipment and has entered into long-term oil deals with the mullahs in Teheran. When Chinese money goes into Iran, that money is inevitably and eventually used to kill Americans, right? How can we trust them? And what about their lead-painted toys? Isn’t selling them to us an act of terrorism against us?
And frankly we should also attack India. They have nukes. Can we really trust the exteme Hindu nationalists? Besides, India is stealing our jobs. Shouldn’t we regard that as an act of war?
Yep, Omega Man, bombing the crap out of all of them will surely usher in the new era of peace you envision.
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:03 pmI would expect that the Admiral’s retirement will be announced any day now.
Comment by screech — September 23, 2007 @ 2:12 pm
Either a retirment or he may get Tillmaned. After all, Darth has Blackwater Boyz here in this country too.
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:22 pmI went to high school with Bill Fallon. He was really smart and well-liked in school.We’re from a blue state.When Bush picked him for the job, it was written up bigtime in all our local newspapers. I really don’t see where he fits in with the Bush/Cheney Groupthink. Maybe not as smart after all. Yeah, looking like he wants out.
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:28 pmPaging Admiral Fallon, lay down to the quarterdeck, your retirement package is ready! Signed by the Decider.
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:34 pmPaging Admiral Fallon, lay down to the quarterdeck, your retirement package is ready! Signed by the Decider.
Comment by Doc Rock — September 23, 2007 @ 3:34 pm
Just don’t take that package through any Airport Security screening areas and please don’t open it within 500 feet of any Government building, OK?
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:37 pmOmega - sorry - gets hard to tell sometimes, given the bizarre things we hear from our righty friends.
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:38 pmIf Fallon is thinking that this war with Iran is NOT about to begin any time soon, then why has he very recently been touring all the countries in the region trying to consolidate support against Iran? I read an press article about it somewhere and now I can’t find it.
September 23rd, 2007 at 4:41 pmOnly months ago he insisted that there would be no war with Iran on his watch. Has something changed?
Since it would be sinful to disagree with the judgment of the commander in the field, I guess the Republicans are going to have to become hippy peaceniks. Ouch.
September 23rd, 2007 at 4:44 pm34 - was it really vicious? if that’s really how you feel, your a bigger pussy than any righty has ever accused a pacifist of being, and you and the general are free to go cry to your mommies about it.
September 23rd, 2007 at 4:59 pmWhy does this guy want to get in the way of war?
We want war!! We want war!! /sarcasm
September 23rd, 2007 at 5:58 pmI expect he will be replaced or resign soon. He has strayed from the Cheney reservation.
But when the repugs start to denigrate Fallon, will the Dems call them on their disrespect of a military man when we are “at war?”
Or will the msm spare them the embarrassment and hypocrisy and fail to cover Fallon’s remarks.
September 23rd, 2007 at 10:17 pm“the only man with enough courage and clarity of vision to do the right thing”
That comment made me choke and spray Coke all over my screen!
Good God, man, are you serious??
September 23rd, 2007 at 10:21 pmI can’t believe you meant that.
You turn off the middle.
Comment by Toliver — September 23, 2007 @ 11:12 pm
You’re ridiculous and repulsive. Words aren’t “vicious”. White phosphorus is vicious. The Abu Graib torture photos are vicious. Balckwater goons gunning down unarmed civilians is vicious.
You’re pathetic, a lair, and a coward.
September 23rd, 2007 at 11:53 pmComment by Toliver — September 23, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
According to Inter Press Service and Pentagon sources, Fallon did call petraeus a sycophant, a$skissing, chickensh*t.
http://ipsnorthamerica.net/news.php?idnews=1041
The link you give comes under OPINION. Give a link that does not come under opinion.
Petraeus told us how great the war was going six weeks before the 2004 election. I say he was lying to influence the election. Interviewers have said he has hopes of running for president himself.
September 24th, 2007 at 4:31 amThis is why you are a liability to your party. You turn off the middle.
Comment by Toliver — September 23, 2007 @ 11:12 pm
71% of ALL Americans wanted all troops out of Iraq by Spring 2008. For my party the response was almost 90%. Whose the liability? You or me?
September 24th, 2007 at 4:34 amFallon is having an attack of common sense. This will not compute with the Bush world. Look for him to either reverse his opinion soon or resign his commission in order to “spend more time with his family”.
September 24th, 2007 at 8:52 am“It is not a good idea to be in a state of war.
But this is the WAR PRESIDENT - death and destruction is what the Anti-christ is all about.
Fallon, watch yer back and don’t shake his hand either, you’re either a Loyal Bushie or you’re out.
Buck Fush
September 24th, 2007 at 12:49 pm41 - what middle?
September 24th, 2007 at 3:01 pm