By APP
Washington : Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has reluctantly accepted Navy Admiral William J. Fallon’s letter of resignation as commander of U.S. Central Command and request for retirement which Fallon made because of perceptions that he is in disagreement with the Bush administration’s policy on Iran.
Fallon’s resignation will take effect March 31, Gates said in a Pentagon news conference. His deputy, Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, will take over as acting CENTCOM commander until a permanent replacement is nominated and confirmed.
Gates told reporters Fallon advised him of his decision Tuesday morning, citing what the admiral called “the current embarrassing situation of public perception of differences between my views and administration policy and the distraction this causes from the mission.”
“Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the president’s policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time and hamper efforts in the CENTCOM region,” Fallon said in a statement released by CENTCOM.
Gates said these perceptions were false. But he said Fallon has “made the right decision.”
Fallon said this disconnect led him to conclude “that it would be best to step aside and allow the secretary and our military leaders to move beyond this distraction … and focus on the achievement of our strategic objectives in the region.”
Gates said Fallon reached this difficult decision entirely on his own and that he had approved it “with reluctance and regret.” He said, the admiral’s departure does not mean that the United States is heading toward war with Iran. “That’s just ridiculous,” Gates said.
The secretary said he informed President Bush of Fallon’s decision and his plan to accept it earlier Tuesday. “The president has made clear all along that these matters are to be handled strictly within the Department of Defense,” he said.