Admiral Fallon (pictured right) was strongly opposed to Petraeus’s role as pitchman for the “surge” in Iraq adopted by Bush in December as putting his own interests ahead of a sound military posture in the Middle East*
By Gareth Porter
WASHINGTON – In sharp contrast to the lionization of General David Petraeus by members of the US Congress during his testimony this week, Petraeus’s superior, Admiral William Fallon, chief of the Central Command (Centcom), derided Petraeus as a sycophant during their first meeting in Baghdad in March, according to Pentagon sources familiar with reports of the meeting.
Fallon told Petraeus that he considered him to be “an ass-kissing little chickenshit” and added, “I hate people like that,” the sources say. That remark reportedly came after Petraeus began the meeting by making remarks that Fallon interpreted as trying to ingratiate himself with a superior.
That extraordinarily contentious start of Fallon’s mission to Baghdad led to more meetings marked by acute tension between the two commanders. Fallon went on to develop his own alternative to Petraeus’s recommendation for continued high levels of US troops in Iraq during the summer.
The enmity between the two commanders became public knowledge when the Washington Post reported on September 9 of intense conflict within the administration over Iraq. The story quoted a senior official as saying that referring to “bad relations” between them is “the understatement of the century”.
Fallon’s derision toward Petraeus reflected both the Centcom commander’s personal distaste for Petraeus’s style of operating and their fundamental policy differences over Iraq, according to the sources.
*Several nationally syndicated (neoconservative) radio talk shows have been at the forefront of General David Petraeus’ defense with an almost religious zeal. In view of Adm. Fallon’s abject disgust of his subordinate, and his description of Petraeus as ‘ingratiating,’ I have to conclude the talk radio Bush Boosters will deem General Fallon’s remarks as not very newsworthy. — FR