I never took the oath that a Naval Academy Plebe takes when he enters the Academy at Annapolis as Admiral Fallon did, but we both took the Oath of Office when we became officers in the U.S. Navy.
I will never forget the pride I had being sworn in as a US Navy(not USNR) Ensign!The Plebe says this Oath of Office:
“Having been appointed a Midshipman in the United States Navy,do you solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;that you take this obligation freely,without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter,so help you God?" (italics are mine for emphasis)
“Having been appointed a Midshipman in the United States Navy,do you solemnly swear (or affirm) that you will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;that you take this obligation freely,without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter,so help you God?" (italics are mine for emphasis)
When commissioned as an officer, the oath is repeated with slight deletions:
''I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
Apparently Admiral Fallon didn't feel that "true faith and allegince" applied to obeying without dissent the orders of your Commander in Chief and superior officer.
A man with a long and brilliant career apparently felt his opinions and point of view about the Iraq war differed too much from his superiors to remain quiet and do his duty.Tom serve and obey!
Fallon felt so strongly that his superior officers and the Presidnt were waging the war in Iraq wrongly, that he violated his oath of office and went public while still in uniform to express his displeasure.
Wikapedia describes his action thus:"As combatant commander of Central Command, Fallon was David Petraeus's superior officer. Petraeus is the commander of the current Iraq force, Multinational Force Iraq.
As CENTCOM commander, Fallon has often criticized Iran, while also encouraging negotiations. On May 28, 2007, he noted that the United States would continue to have a military presence in the Middle East, despite Iran wishing otherwise. However, he also said, "We have to figure out a way to come to an arrangement with them [Iran]" In an Al-Jazeera broadcast on September 30, 2007, he criticized those publicly urging war, stating "This constant drum beat of conflict is what strikes me which is not helpful and not useful. [...] I expect that there will be no war and that is what we ought to be working for." He also stated that Iran was not as strong as it claimed, "Not militarily, economically or politically."
As CENTCOM commander, Fallon has often criticized Iran, while also encouraging negotiations. On May 28, 2007, he noted that the United States would continue to have a military presence in the Middle East, despite Iran wishing otherwise. However, he also said, "We have to figure out a way to come to an arrangement with them [Iran]" In an Al-Jazeera broadcast on September 30, 2007, he criticized those publicly urging war, stating "This constant drum beat of conflict is what strikes me which is not helpful and not useful. [...] I expect that there will be no war and that is what we ought to be working for." He also stated that Iran was not as strong as it claimed, "Not militarily, economically or politically."
Apparently he forgot who his Commander in Chief was--George Bush, not Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
If an O3 went on Al-Jazeera and did as Fallon, he surely would have been court marshaled! Admiral Fallon was allowed to resign with all his pension and benefits intact.
Had he been a high ranking officer in Iraq or Iran he would have been executed for his insubordination, but here in the USA he will become just one more darling "mouth piece" for the Left wing Liberals.
So Much for Loyalty!
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Iran is continuing to play a harmful role in Iraq, according to U.S. officials. The U.S. State Department Coordinator for Iraq, David Satterfield, says, “Iran remains lethally engaged in terms of providing training and equipment to the most radical and the most violent forces in Iraq. Attacks by those forces continue.”
Rear Admiral Gregory Smith is a spokesman for the Multi-National Force in Iraq. He says that the so-called “special groups,” extremist Shi’ite militias some of which are backed by Iran, are using secret weapons caches to attack Coalition and Iraqi forces. “Many of these caches have been in Iraq for some time,” said Admiral Smith:
“Iraqis go to Iran, receive the training and return back to Iraq and participate in both training other individuals in the conduct of those same skills, and also organizing to conduct operations. The special groups’ activity has not declined in recent months. They continue to be probably the most violent of the extremist groups that we’re seeing from Shi’a sects. But the intent of Iran in supporting the training and financing of those activities we believe continues.”
This from the Voice of America
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