The appointment of Fallon, a former Navy aviator who commanded an air wing during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, is seen as a signal of strength to recalcitrant Iran. While Bush may not intend to go to war with that nation, if he ever did use a military option, it would have to depend largely on carrier-based air attacks commanded by Fallon.

Exactly. This isn't about dealing with the disaster that Iraq is or the horrible mess Afghanistan is becoming, it is about having an air commander to bomb the hell out of Iran. It's not enough that we have to make a total mess of things in the middle east, George Bush wants to push over the final domino that may shove the entire region into total war.

And just so we're clear, total war is a very specific phrase, not a flourish. If this happens the middle east is going to look like the Russian Front, no holds barred, if it moves, kill it, war. Creating one of those gets you sent to hell. Creating one of those deliberately puts you around the top of the "monsters" list.