Comments on: Even More About the Goofball

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:46:16 +0000

Just goes to show not every career officer is immune to temptation. Decades of service do not equate, necessarily, to a loyal and humble character.

Fallon could have used one of the Roman slaves who accompanied the victorious emperor or general on the chariot during the ‘triumph’ parade, so that when thousands cheered the man, the slave could whisper in his ear, “remember, you are a mortal man. Remember, you are only human.”

Fallon believed his own press before the ink was dry.

By: WilliamInWien

WilliamInWien — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:03:22 +0000

Was it not Andy Warhol who commented about everyone having 15 minutes of fame? Possibly the Admiral wishes to follow in the footsteps of General W. Clark? Over the past decade or so, there were two books I could not read completely, one is Barnett’s “The Pentagon’s New Map” while the other is Jeremy Rifkin’s “The European Dream”. On the other hand, I have read and fully appreciated the writings of Robert D. Kaplan. What bothers me is that it appears that many will agree or disagree on an issue, not based on its merits, rather on the basis of its position toward George W. Bush, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. We all seek to read what we agree with but reading and analyzing what we don’t agree with sharpens the mind. Some get to choose their 15 minutes, others have it thrust upon them (Spitzer). Finally, it would have been better for Fallon to retire first, then seek an outlet for his views. Or, am I a relic of the past?

By: J.E. Dyer

J.E. Dyer — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:02:44 +0000

I note that in an entire career spanning more than three decades, Admiral Fallon had only one tour in DC. That’s pretty unusual for a senior flag or general officer. For all military officers, DC tours do much to rub off rough edges and help us put ourselves in perspective. “Hot-runners” with flag potential are often hustled through DC tours to check blocks on the career list — and more power to them, I say. But learning who NOT to talk to, and how to avoid becoming a scalp on someone’s political belt, is something the DC tours are uniquely valuable for.

Life IS stupid inside the Beltway, and I can’t blame anyone who’d rather be out in the fleet or the field, where senior officers don’t have to run coffee and doughnuts. I don’t know that this was Fallon’s perspective, but it is unusual to so successfully escape time in the Pentagon, where we all get to do the “Theodore Roosevelt” exercise of comparing ourselves with the mighty juggernaut of Nature, and recognizing how small we are.