By NNN-KUNA
Washington : The commander of the US forces in the Middle East, Iran and Afghanistan, Admiral William Fallon, has stepped down over reported policy differences with the Administration over Iran, Defence Secretary Robert Gates announced here.
A copy of Fallon’s resignation letter, read out by Gates at an unscheduled news conference Tuesday, said “the current embarrassing situation and public perception of differences between my views and administration policy and the distraction this causes from the mission make this the right thing to do.”
A magazine article by “Esquire” said Fallon had strong differences with the Bush Administration over the way Washington is handling the Iranian issue.
Gates, in announcing his acceptance of the resignation, denied that there were significant differences between the Administration and Fallon over Iran. “I have approved Admiral Fallon’s request to retire with reluctance and regret,” Gates said.
Shortly after the announcement, President Bush issued a statement describing Fallon as an “outstanding sailor and he made history as the first naval officer to serve as Commander of Central Command”.
“During his tenure at Centcom, Admiral Fallon’s job has been to help ensure that America’s military forces are ready to meet the threats of an often troubled region of the world, and he deserves considerable credit for progress that has been made there, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Bush said in his statement.
Bush made no mention about the policy differences, but rather praised Fallon for his work throughout his service in the military.