David Petraeus and his commander Adm. William J. Fallon, head of U.S. Central Command, proposed starkly different plans for post-surge Iraq. While Petraeus has campaigned to “keep as many troops [in Iraq] as long as possible,” Fallon considered recommending “slashing U.S. combat forces in Iraq by three-quarters by 2010.”

The “schism between the two men” is growing. “‘Bad relations?’ said a senior civilian official with a laugh. ‘That’s the understatement of the century. . . . If you think Armageddon was a riot, that’s one way of looking at it.’”

UPDATE: “Fallon was also derisive of Iraqi leaders’ intentions and competence, and dubious about the surge. “He’s been saying from Day One, ‘This isn’t working,’ ” said a senior administration official.”

UPDATE II: “[Defense Secretary Robert] Gates did not seem fully on board with the president’s strategy, either… Gates embraced proposals to scale back the U.S. presence in Iraq.”

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