Without getting into all the unpleasant details, I think it’s fair to say that Admiral Fallon was an object of scorn and sometimes contempt by a significant number of his immediate subordinates. It had nothing to do with Iran, or for that matter even Iraq. Military officers have seen strategic disagreements throughout their careers. Rather it had to do with the man himself, with his perceived competence, with the way he dealt with his underlings, and with his own quest for personal legacy rather than national victory. I am sure that Gates was aware of at least some of that. Whether the president was, I cannot say. Since Armitage left the State Department it’s hard to get inside information…