Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) asked Gen. Petraeus why his withdrawal plan is so circumscribed when other military officials — including the Central Command chief, Admiral William Fallon — believe a more rapid draw-down is possible and responsible, as The Washington Post reported this weekend. “A senior civilian official” told the Post that calling relations between Fallon and Petraeus “bad” would be “the understatement of the century.”
During the hearing, however, Petraeus called his plan his “best professional military judgment,” and stated that both Admiral Fallon “fully supports” his recommendations, “as do the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
A few minutes later, Petraeus stated that he believes Fallon is the victim of mistaken press accounts. Supposedly there was a Central Command assessment taking a much longer view of the Iraq situation, and not in conflict with Petraeus’ own. Fallon, he said, agrees with Petraeus’ view.
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