Adm. William Fallon in an exclusive interview w/Kyra Phillips

On today’s edition of American Morning, CNN anchor Kyra Phillips spoke to Retired Centcom Commander Adm. William Fallon in an exclusive interview about his forced retirement. The video link, Highlighted Excerpts and full transcript of the interview are below.

Please credit all usage to CNN’s Kyra Phillips

Video Link to Interview


Adm Fallon



Highlighted Excerpts



On the reason for his resignation

FALLON: Well, the story is -- the facts are that the situation was one that was very uncomfortable for me, and I'm sure for the president. One of the most important things in the military is confidence in the chain of command. And the situation that developed was one of uncertainty and a feeling that maybe that I was disloyal to the president, that I might be trying to countermand his orders, the policies of the country, and that perception was unsettling to me.



The most important thing is that our people have confidence in their leaders, just as we have confidence in them and their ability to do their -- carry out their tasks every day. And the fact that people might be concerned that I was not appropriately doing what I was supposed to do and following orders bothered me. And my sense was that the right thing to do was to offer my resignation.



PHILLIPS: Do you feel you were pushed out, admiral?



FALLON: I think the real story here is what's important. What was important was not me. It wasn't some discussion about where I was with issues. It was the fact that we have a war in progress. We had a couple of hundred thousand people whose lives were at stake out in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we needed to be focused on that, not on some discussion about me or what I might have said or thought or somebody perceived that I said, and so that's the motivation.



On the President going to war with Iran

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about this "Esquire" magazine article.

I mean, this was the catalyst. This was the last straw. Tom Barnett made it appear that you were the only man standing between the president and a war with Iran. Is that true?



FALLON: Kyra, I don't believe for a second President Bush wants a war with Iran. The situation with Iran is very complex. People sometimes portray it or try to portray it in very simplistic terms. We're either against Iran, we want to go to war with Iran or we want to be close to them. The reality is in international politics that there are many aspects to any of these situations. And I believe in our relationship with Iran we need to be strong and firm, convey the principles upon which this country stands and upon which our policies are based. At the same time, demonstrate a willingness and an openness to engage in a dialogue, because there are certainly things that we can find in common.



PHILLIPS: Would you have done that? Would you have negotiated with Iran?



FALLON: Well, it's not my position to really negotiate with Iran. I was the military commander in the Middle East. I had responsibility first and foremost for our people and for their safety and well-being. It's the role of the diplomats to do the negotiation.



PHILLIPS: So when all the talk came about with regard to a third war, a war with Iran, the president didn't have it in the table. He didn't say to you, look, this is what I want to do, and did you stand to up him and say no, sir, bad move?



FALLON: Kyra, it's probably not appropriate to try to characterize it in that way. Again, don't believe for a second that the president really wants to go to war with Iran. We have a lot of things going on. And there are many other ways to solve problems.



I was very open and candid in my advice. I'm not shy. I will tell people, the leaders, what I think, and offer my opinions on Iran and other things and continue to do that.



On the best course for Iraq now

PHILLIPS: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama talk about pulling troops out by next year. John McCain says, no, we got to stay the course.

What is the best course for Iraq right now?



FALLON: Well, I believe the best course is to retain the high confidence we have in General David Petraeus and his team out there.

Dave's done an absolutely magnificent job in leading our people in that country.



Again, this situation is quite complex, many angles. There's a very, very important military role here in providing stability and security in this country, but that's not going to be successful, as we know, without lots of other people playing a hand. The political side of things in Iraq has got to move forward. That appears to be improving. People have to have confidence in their futures. They want to have stability. They'd like to be able to raise their families in peace. They'd like to have a job. They'd like to look to tomorrow as better than today. And it takes more than the military, but the military is essential to provide stability and security.



So the idea we would suddenly just walk away from Iraq strikes me as not appropriate. We all want to bring our troops home. We want to have the majority of our people back. We want the war ended.



But given where we are today, the progress that they've made, particularly in the last couple months -- I think it's very, very heartening to see what's really happened here. That the right course of action is to continue to work with the Iraqis, let them take over the majority of the tasks for ensuring security for the country, and have our people come out on a timetable that's appropriate to the conditions that are on the ground.





Full Transcript



THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.



KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, he's known in military circles for his blunt, no-nonsense talk. Not the kind to tolerate incompetence, that's for sure. So President Bush knew what he was getting when he picked Admiral William Fallon to oversee operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just short of a year on the job, Fallon was pushed into early retirement, ending a decorated 40 years of service. An article in "Esquire" magazine had portrayed him a rogue commander, butting heads with President Bush over a war with Iran and troop withdrawal. But when Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Fallon's resignation, he refuted that.



(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)



ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECY.: Admiral Fallon reached this difficult decision entirely on his own. I believe it was the right thing to do, even though I do not believe there are in fact significant differences between his views and administration policy.



(END VIDEO CLIP)



PHILLIPS: Fallon's critics say that he was disloyal to the president. Fallon says he was just being candid and wasn't going to pull any punches. In his first television interview since leaving command, Admiral William Fallon joins us now live with his side of the story.



Good to see you, sir.



ADM. WILLIAM FALLON (RET.), FMR. CENTCOM COMMANDER: Good morning, Kyra. Nice to be back in New York.



PHILLIPS: It's nice to have you here.



How were you informed that this was it? Who called you?



FALLON: Well, the story is -- the facts are that the situation was one that was very uncomfortable for me, and I'm sure for the president. One of the most important things in the military is confidence in the chain of command. And the situation that developed was one of uncertainty and a feeling that maybe that I was disloyal to the president, that I might be trying to countermand his orders, the policies of the country, and that perception was unsettling to me.



The most important thing is that our people have confidence in their leaders, just as we have confidence in them and their ability to do their -- carry out their tasks every day. And the fact that people might be concerned that I was not appropriately doing what I was supposed to do and following orders bothered me. And my sense was that the right thing to do was to offer my resignation.



PHILLIPS: Do you feel you were pushed out, admiral?



FALLON: I think the real story here is what's important. What was important was not me. It wasn't some discussion about where I was with issues. It was the fact that we have a war in progress. We had a couple of hundred thousand people whose lives were at stake out in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we needed to be focused on that, not on some discussion about me or what I might have said or thought or somebody perceived that I said, and so that's the motivation.



PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about this "Esquire" magazine article.

I mean, this was the catalyst. This was the last straw. Tom Barnett made it appear that you were the only man standing between the president and a war with Iran. Is that true?



FALLON: Kyra, I don't believe for a second President Bush wants a war with Iran. The situation with Iran is very complex. People sometimes portray it or try to portray it in very simplistic terms. We're either against Iran, we want to go to war with Iran or we want to be close to them. The reality is in international politics that there are many aspects to any of these situations. And I believe in our relationship with Iran we need to be strong and firm, convey the principles upon which this country stands and upon which our policies are based. At the same time, demonstrate a willingness and an openness to engage in a dialogue, because there are certainly things that we can find in common.



PHILLIPS: Would you have done that? Would you have negotiated with Iran?



FALLON: Well, it's not my position to really negotiate with Iran. I was the military commander in the Middle East. I had responsibility first and foremost for our people and for their safety and well-being. It's the role of the diplomats to do the negotiation.



PHILLIPS: So when all the talk came about with regard to a third war, a war with Iran, the president didn't have it in the table. He didn't say to you, look, this is what I want to do, and did you stand to up him and say no, sir, bad move?



FALLON: Kyra, it's probably not appropriate to try to characterize it in that way. Again, don't believe for a second that the president really wants to go to war with Iran. We have a lot of things going on. And there are many other ways to solve problems.



I was very open and candid in my advice. I'm not shy. I will tell people, the leaders, what I think, and offer my opinions on Iran and other things and continue to do that.



PHILLIPS: Do you think that's what cost you your job?



FALLON: No, I don't believe so at all. I think, again, it's this confidence issue of, do people really believe the chain of command is working for them, or do we have doubts, and if the doubts start focusing attention away from what the priority issues ought to be, then we've got to make a change.



PHILLIPS: Now we talk about your no-nonsense talk, the fact that you had no problems standing up to the president. Your critics say, that Admiral Fallon is a difficult man to get around with. Are you?



FALLON: You probably could ask my wife about that. She'd have a few things to say.



I think that what's really important here is that when I was asked to take this job about a year and a half ago, I believe it was because we were facing some very difficult days in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the region. I had some experience in dealing with international problems. I certainly had a lot of combat experience, and I was brought in, in an attempt to try to make things better, and that's what I went about doing.



Again, there are things that are important, and other things in life that are less so. And a lot of the issues that became points of discussion to me were not really important items. Important items -- the people, what they're doing, how to get this job done, how to get the war ended, get our people home.



PHILLIPS: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama talk about pulling troops out by next year. John McCain says, no, we got to stay the course.

What is the best course for Iraq right now?



FALLON: Well, I believe the best course is to retain the high confidence we have in General David Petraeus and his team out there.

Dave's done an absolutely magnificent job in leading our people in that country.



Again, this situation is quite complex, many angles. There's a very, very important military role here in providing stability and security in this country, but that's not going to be successful, as we know, without lots of other people playing a hand. The political side of things in Iraq has got to move forward. That appears to be improving. People have to have confidence in their futures. They want to have stability. They'd like to be able to raise their families in peace. They'd like to have a job. They'd like to look to tomorrow as better than today. And it takes more than the military, but the military is essential to provide stability and security.



So the idea we would suddenly just walk away from Iraq strikes me as not appropriate. We all want to bring our troops home. We want to have the majority of our people back. We want the war ended.



But given where we are today, the progress that they've made, particularly in the last couple months -- I think it's very, very heartening to see what's really happened here. That the right course of action is to continue to work with the Iraqis, let them take over the majority of the tasks for ensuring security for the country, and have our people come out on a timetable that's appropriate to the conditions that are on the ground.



PHILLIPS: Finally thoughts. Any regrets? If you could go back in a the position and head CENTCOM, knowing what you know now and looking at what happened and how you were nudged out of this job, would you do anything differently?



FALLON: Well, Kyra, it's pretty tough to critique a 40-year career of just wonderful experiences and working with the best people in the world. I would probably, as I would reflect on this, I could probably find some things that I might do a little bit differently.



PHILLIPS: Such as?



FALLON: Probably be a little more attentive to the fact that my prioritization of things probably drives people to recognize that the imperative is to get things done now, now, now, probably pretty strong in pushing to get things that I believe are important. But as I reflect back on the situation that we found ourselves in about a year and a half ago, it seemed to me that action was required now, and we needed to put the small things aside, really focus on what was important, and that is getting this job done, and that's what I tried to do to the best of my ability.



PHILLIPS: Admiral William Fallon.



FALLON: It's been quite an interesting 40 years.



PHILLIPS: Yes, it has. Quite a career. Appreciate your time this morning. It was good talking to you

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