Irregardless of the pros/ cons of Adm Fallon's departure, oil prices are already "pricing in" further instability in Gulf markets and future supplies there. Should ( or when) Bush wants to demonstrate the national security factor for his GOP's side, he will initiate a " surgical strike" already sliced & diced and ready to go within a 24 hr news cycle. Of course a cynical person would say this would happen AFTER the Dem convention in Denver............ any bets?

Byronius, Washington DC, USA

Admiral Fallon was most likely fired because he OPENLY hemmed in his superior commander, the President, not for the content of his views. As such, he was insubordinate - even if he may have been right on the substance of the question at hand i.e Iran policy

Milos Borojic, Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegivina

Another Clintonista 4 star falls by the wayside - and good riddance. As commander of PacCom he spent his time sucking up the PRC. As Centcom commander, he seemed somewhat disinterested in Centom's major war (Iraq). It speaks to the incompetence of Bush and Gates that he was ever given this job in the first place. One of the biggest mistakes since 9/11 has been the retention of these peacetime, politically correct flag officers. Any officer promoted to three or four star rank during the 1990s should have already been retired - Omar Bradley went straight from LtCol to BGen in Feb 1941 - Mark Clark did the same thing later that year. Patton made BGen in 1940. Eisenhower made BGen in September 1941.

The US Army already had quite a few peacetime generals at the start of WW II. Mostly, they stayed in the US to run training establishments and man various staffs. To run the war required aggressive risk takers.

Mike, NY, USA

ADM Fallon is man of conviction and honor. He led by example and he led from the front -- spending ~80% of his time, boots on the ground in theater to drive home necessary changes.

As a veteran of OEF Afghanistan (1 year) I know it's too easy for generals to fly-in, listen, take notes and fly-out without effecting change. Regardless of the inter-service sniping, Fox Fallon was highly regarded by his men for "calling the ball" accurately and fairly regardless of political demands from Neocons at the WH.

History will judge him as one of the few senior military leaders with the fortitude to tell it like it is for the sake of his country and the lives of his men (and women). He remembered what every junior officer is told - care more about the eyes on your back than the eyes on your front.

Jack, Palo Alto, CA, USA

Fallon was better for the job at Centcom because he had no experience ""on the ground."As a professional military officer with tours with interservice operations he would have enough knowledge of how the army, airforce and marines work. He does not have to know one hundred ways to kill someone with no weapon just has Petraeus does not have to know how to operate a harpoon missile system. The job of management is just that and applies to military and civil applications. A clear, new view in this situation would have benefits to any political leader with the intellect to listen.

With oil prices the way they are I don't think Iran would be too concerned about a US attack. They have said they don"t want to shut off Persian Gulf oil if war starts. That is not saying they won't! Off course if Bush wants the public to go into the next elections with oil at $200 plus a barrel then all bets are off.

Jeff Larsen, Chch , NZ

To say that the surge of General Petraeus is a success is correct. It has certified in concrete the ethnic cleansing of Baghdad, it has brought into being an armed and organised Sunni militia that will one day challenge what ever Shia government the US leaves behind (always assuming the US ever does leave).

It is contributing to the sucking up of 12 BILLION dollars a month into the mire George Bush has created in Iraq.

The Admiral knows this and knows also an attack on Iran would unleash the Shias against the occupation forces making a dire situation even worse.

The surge is a sticking plaster on a sucking suppurating wound, no more.

martyn, calvia, spain

Even if a US strike against Iran's nuclear facilities were not on the agenda, it helps the West's bargaining position if Iran fears that possibility. It was totally inappropriate for the head of Centcom to weaken the bargaining position by publicly opposing the strike option, rather than conveying his views solely through government channels.

Faustino, Brisbane, Australia