Middle East commander resigned by phone from Iraq

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Fallon, the commander of all U.S. military operations in the Middle East, abruptly ended his nearly 42-year military career Tuesday with a phone call from Iraq in which he asked to resign because of controversy caused by his criticism of the Bush administration's Iran policy

Gates said Tuesday in a hastily convened news conference that he accepted Fallon's resignation because it was the "right thing to do."

ended weeks of speculation within military circles about how long a military commander who appeared to challenge Bush administration policy could hold onto his job

Just one day earlier, Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman, said that Fallon "still enjoys a working — a good working relationship with the secretary of defense."

Esquire magazine story described him as lone bulwark stopping an overzealous Bush administration from starting a war with Iran

described Fallon as "brazenly challenging the commander in chief."

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