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Hillary Clinton on Admiral Fallon’s Resignation

By SusanUnPC on March 11, 2008 at 6:08 PM in Commander in Chief, Flag officers, Hillary Clinton, Iran, Iraq

STATEMENT OF SENATOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON ON THE RESIGNATION OF ADMIRAL WILLIAM FALLON

WASHINGTON, DC—”Admiral Fallon has served our country with distinction over the course of his 41-year career. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have had the opportunity to work with Admiral William Fallon and I greatly appreciated his honesty and forthrightness, both in private meetings and during his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee as Commander, U.S. Central Command.

Admiral Fallon was a sensible voice within the Pentagon on the need to have a multi-pronged strategy towards Iran that included support for engaging Iran. Admiral Fallon was a voice of reason in an administration which has used inflammatory rhetoric against Iran. I am asking that the Senate Armed Services Committee hold hearings into the circumstances surrounding his departure. I will also urge my colleagues to join me in supporting Senator Webb’s legislation requiring the Administration to come to Congress before taking military action against Iran.

Admiral Fallon’s resignation should not be used as an excuse to ratchet up tensions with Iran. I am hopeful that the Administration will nominate a replacement who shares Admiral Fallon’s views on a balanced policy towards Iran. I would emphasize to the Bush administration, as I have before, that it has no authority to take this nation to war against Iran, and I again urge the Bush administration to pursue diplomacy, including direct talks with Tehran, at its earliest opportunity. Regrettably, Admiral Fallon is resigning at a time when his straight speaking style would provide our nation with the unfiltered advice we need as we seek a new direction in Iraq and the region.”

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See also: Larry Johnson’s commentary on the resignation.

simon

Clinton will be the smartest, better than McCain, in dealing with the middle east. It’s such a pain when one has a financial stake in every little event. (Get ready for a cheney blow out, yow!)

The idea of intelligent people in the white house again is just too tempting, dare America dream?
anna shane

Hilary has respect for experts, and she’s speaking like she’s president, signaling to Iran that if she’s prez they can expect a sane policy. She’s not just ready on day one, she’s ready already.
http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

I can’t wait. She always has the proper perspectives. Maybe she can bring in Admiral Fallon to advise her in the White House.

And I hope she gets the hearings that she is calling for. Smart.
Jess Wonderin

Once again this Administration has shown a complete disregard and insult to professional educated people that think with their big head instead pg their little one . . . I am sure without Fallon’s reasoned strength, Bozo would have driven the bus into Tehran months ago (over the bodies of more American service people) . . .

Looking forward to getting the adults back in the WH, Clinton’s experience and “street smarts” will serve America well. Now if we can just keep George Waterboard Bush in Crawford riding his bike with minor foreign government officials we JUST might make it . . .
Fleaflicker

To me, just listening to Hillary, I think it is a no-brainer that she is well qualified to be President. She understands the issues as well as the nuances of the issues. She gets the big picture. No one, not even McCain has her grasp of the situations we are in militarily.
Fleaflicker

I bet you that Obama is a little in the dark about this. Until his campaign staff fills him in that is.
JoeySky

We lost another good soldier. His expertise and judgement has been an asset to the military. I wish Hillary is the commander-in-chief tomorrow morning.
Paul

What are the chances that Jim Webb’s Iranian war amendment could be passed?
Gabriele Droz

So who, once again, is the one that’s on top of this?
Who’s the one that speaks our minds, fearlessly, and uses her powers to push against the rampant abuse of Bush’s self-proclaimed Unitary Executive (which, as far as I can tell, makes it possible for him to pull this kind of shit off).

Obama? I don’t think he has a single clue about this issue. Too busy campaigning I guess.

I admire Hillary so much. She’s on the campaign trail just as much or more, yet, when important issues come up, she takes action, regardless of her schedule.

I don’t even know if she sleeps anymore. But I’m pretty sure she’s not on speed. She’s just driven by her beliefs. I want her so bad.
http://www.skullduggery.com.au Douglasbot

This is an incredibly serious time. Incredibly dangerous. Hopefully cool heads will prevail and the Democrats can actually stand up. Webb is one of the most consistent voices get behind him and HOLD!

Considering Hillary Clinton’s votes on Iraq and Iran…i take her comments here with a HELL of a pinch of salt.
Obama’s lack of fight against Bush doesn’t fill me with much hope either.
Both of them have a history of saying one thing and doing another. Make a STAND goddammit.

This is a scary turn of events for not only America but the world.
Paul

This story & it’s grave consequences needs to trump all the campaign bullshit.

We need to storm the WH, before letting these guy’s drop bombs (more for Israel then us) & run away.
wellclosed

Fallon was never standing in the way on Iraq. Just like Shinseki, his only problem with the administration was that of the career folks of the German army prior to the big one… “yeah, blitzkrieg is cute but most of our precious troops are gonna get it in the end. The stupid fucker is probably going to try to do Russia in the winter”.
The Republocrats only differ from the the Republicans in their respect for the man in uniform. On bending over, ask don’t tell!

Maybe y’all spooks current and former need to get out more. For instance: http://www.chris-floyd.com/content/view/1453/135/
http://noquartersusa.net/blog/2008/03/11/hillary-clinton-on-admiral-fallons-resignation-#more-1779 Peter Rodham Clinton

He’ll read up on Clinton’s views and position and get up to speed in no time. Unfortunately for him, he’ll have a little trouble remembering what it is he has been told to say. uh.. okie dokie, me too.
http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

Like that debate when Russert asked them both — in a jumpball question — about Russia. Obama IMMEDIATELY looked to Hillary in the hope she’d answer. It was pathetic.

Why didn’t the media make a bigger deal out of that? It was a tell about how dependent he is.
Andy

SNL was the only one to pick on that: this is how absurd the coverage is… It’d be funny if it were not about the US Presidency…
http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

Zilch. I think Harry Reid held it up several months ago. Sigh. Frankly, I don’t know how Jim Webb stands it.
Mr.Murder

The Admirals’ umbridge is not considered befitting by many. Salute the uniform, etc.

He should get a Medal of Freedom in the coming months having spoken to power of topic.

He made his career a casualty, speaking on behalf of having less casualties. Future Americans will honor his model.

His oath is to uphold the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic. Admiral Fallon decided to oppose extra Constitutional efforts set at undermining the people’s will as the Exectuive is bound to uphold.

Bush is the one who deserves closer scrutiny, that a man would talk against the code being, having prio been deemed suitable for the task for CentCom.
bob h

Presumably Fallon did not wish to have the honor of presiding over the inundation of Camp “Victory” and the Green Zone by Scud missiles, and the sinking of an American aircraft carrier by Iranian Silkworm missiles.
That honor will fall to the schmuck who takes his job.
Jim M

Still spinning her Kyl-Lieberman vote, I see.

Just like the “I voted for diplomacy” spin re: her vote on the 2002 AUMF.

“How was I to know that Bush would use that as a pretext to launch an illegal war?” Great judgment, that.

And not a word about any of that from the echo chamber on this page.
Kathleen

Too bad Hillary did not vote for this in March of 2007 instead of jumping on Webb’s bus after she voted for the Kyl Lieberman amendment.

That vote could take her out as a candidate if the Bush administration crazies attack Iran
Kathleen

Hillary’s “yea” vote on the Kyl Lieberman amendment could take her out once and for all as a candidate if the Bush administration crazies attack Iran.

“on the ticket, Barack Obama didn’t confine himself to mocking Hillary’s presumptuousness; he also attacked her judgment and specifically her foreign policy. He coupled a dig at her vote to approve the conquest of Iraq with her support for the Lobby’s resolution, championed by Joe Lieberman, to target Iran’s Republican Guard as a “terrorist group,” which he characterized as “saber-rattling.” The Lieberman resolution was clearly meant to give legal cover to the Bush administration if and when they order U.S. troops in Iraq to cross the border into Iran in hot pursuit of “terrorists,” i.e., the Iranian military.

We know, when push comes to shove, where Hillary stands on this. Obama’s stance is less clear. We know he won’t rule out military action against Iran, as he told the Chicago Tribune, yet his recent pronouncements – “I won’t be browbeaten into launching a war that was not necessary,” he said of the Clinton 3-in-the-morning attack ad – indicate opposition to the War Party’s Iran project. If Obama is smart, he’ll launch a preemptive strike against the idea of going to war with the Iranians – before the president acts.”

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=12503

I have always thought Hillary’s vote on this amendment would be her second biggest mistake after her 2002 war resolution vote.
Kathleen

The best “spinners” in the world will not be able to spin her yes vote on the 2002 war resolution and the Kyl Lieberman amendment.

But Obama’s fence sitting on this amendment is just as serious. Show me the goods on Obama’s ‘antiwar stance”. Speeches just do not get it.

He missed a solid opportunity to take a fucking stand against the warmongers and he did not.

He played it safe.
Kathleen

Come on Hillary gave the zealots an open door for an attack on Iran with her “yea” vote on the Kyl Lieberman amendment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npzN3dZR6JM

Why Senator Clinton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0icVblxh2dI
Kathleen

To bad Hillary did not call for more conclusive hearings before her 2002 war resolution vote or for more substantiated evidence and hearings before her yes vote on the Kyl Lieberman amendment.

Oh I guess only Obama should be called out on not calling for hearings on such critical issues.
Kathleen

Agreed
Kathleen

The Time to Stop a War on Iran Is Now

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U.S. intelligence agencies have announced their belief that Iran has no nuclear weapons program. President Bush has said his aggressive stance toward Iran would not change as a result of the new NIE.

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pressure your members of Congress to demand hearings on Iran and to co-sponsor H.R.770 and S.759;
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watch and share this video, “The Folly of Attacking Iran,” by UFPJ member group Just Foreign Policy;
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Sign After Downing Street Coalition’s petition directed at Bush and Cheney.

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