Fallon Channels Patton, McClellan

One thing a serving officer should always remember: even if he disagrees with his Commander in Chief's military policy, he should keep his mouth shut to reporters. Admiral William Fallon, now former head of Central Command, didn't get the memo. From David Ignatius:

The first thing that many of Adm. William Fallon's colleagues note
about him is that he's a Navy officer. By that, they mean he has the stubborn
self-confidence, some would say arrogance, that is part of command at sea. He
knows how to wear his dress whites and receive a snappy salute -- and he likes
telling people off when he thinks they're wrong.
Those headstrong qualities
were part of why Fallon was chosen to run Central Command, arguably the most
important senior post in the U.S. military today.
And they explain why
Fallon finally crashed and burned Tuesday, tendering his resignation after his
blunt comments to an Esquire magazine writer had gotten him into one too many
conflicts with the White House and the military brass.

The 2 famed Generals I mentioned in the title both saw their careers cut short (or at least was far less than they could have been) because they failed to observe the rule I mentioned. After the war, though, these warriors went on to even greater fame, and for his dissent of the administration, look for Fallon to become a poster boy for the antiwar Democrats.