Michael J Dugan

The unfortunate Gen. Michael J. Dugan is to serve no longer as the Air Force chief of staff because of his unauthorized disclosures to reporters from The Times and The Washington Post. Those disclosures included tidbits about U.S. bombing options targeting President Saddam Hussein, his family, his palace guard and even his alleged mistress, plus wide-ranging comments about the Persian Gulf standoff.

Why was Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan canned? An angry Defense Secretary Dick Cheney publicly catalogued Dugan's sins on Monday: revealing classified war plans, demeaning the other military services, underestimating the enemy, treating casualties in a cavalier manner. Cheney was especially disturbed by Dugan's assertion that the United States intended to seek out Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, his family and his palace guard as targets of an intense air campaign.

If the United States and Iraq go to war, the U.S. military plans to unleash a relentless air campaign designed in part to "decapitate" the Iraqi leadership by targeting President Saddam Hussein, his family, his senior commanders, his palace guard and even his mistress, according to senior U.S. military planners.

The unfortunate Gen. Michael J. Dugan is to serve no longer as the Air Force chief of staff because of his unauthorized disclosures to reporters from The Times and The Washington Post. Those disclosures included tidbits about U.S. bombing options targeting President Saddam Hussein, his family, his palace guard and even his alleged mistress, plus wide-ranging comments about the Persian Gulf standoff.

Gen. Michael J. Dugan had no doubts about the wisdom of his decision when he invited three reporters to accompany him on a four-day tour of U.S. air forces in Saudi Arabia last week. Dugan, a tall, gregarious, self-assured fighter pilot, believed that the Air Force has a critical--indeed central--role in any military operations against Iraq, and he wanted to tell his service's story.

Defense Secretary Dick Cheney on Monday fired Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan, saying that the four-star general displayed "poor judgment at a very sensitive time" by revealing possible targets of air strikes in Iraq in the event of war. President Bush and Gen. Colin L. Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concurred in the dismissal, which came in a 10-minute meeting with Dugan in Cheney's Pentagon office early Monday.

The abrupt firing Monday of Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan for discussing possible wartime tactics against Iraq dispelled any doubts that President Bush maintains an extraordinarily tight grip over policy and power inside his Administration. Unlike previous high-ranking military officers who were sacked, Gen. Dugan did not get into trouble by opposing a presidential policy.

Some journalists interpreted Monday's firing of Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan over comments to the press as a signal that the White House believes U.S. military leaders have become too open with the media over the Persian Gulf crisis.

Under a wilting sun in the historic courtyard of the U.S. Naval Academy's Bancroft Hall, the Navy Friday rang eight bells for the change of watch at the pinnacle of the 215-year-old service. After four years as chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Carlisle A. H. Trost was ceremonially relieved of command by his successor, Adm. Frank B. Kelso, another veteran of the submarine service.

Why was Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan canned? An angry Defense Secretary Dick Cheney publicly catalogued Dugan's sins on Monday: revealing classified war plans, demeaning the other military services, underestimating the enemy, treating casualties in a cavalier manner. Cheney was especially disturbed by Dugan's assertion that the United States intended to seek out Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, his family and his palace guard as targets of an intense air campaign.

The abrupt firing Monday of Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan for discussing possible wartime tactics against Iraq dispelled any doubts that President Bush maintains an extraordinarily tight grip over policy and power inside his Administration. Unlike previous high-ranking military officers who were sacked, Gen. Dugan did not get into trouble by opposing a presidential policy.

Some journalists interpreted Monday's firing of Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan over comments to the press as a signal that the White House believes U.S. military leaders have become too open with the media over the Persian Gulf crisis.

Defense Secretary Dick Cheney on Monday fired Air Force Chief of Staff Michael J. Dugan, saying that the four-star general displayed "poor judgment at a very sensitive time" by revealing possible targets of air strikes in Iraq in the event of war. President Bush and Gen. Colin L. Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concurred in the dismissal, which came in a 10-minute meeting with Dugan in Cheney's Pentagon office early Monday.

Gen. Michael J. Dugan had no doubts about the wisdom of his decision when he invited three reporters to accompany him on a four-day tour of U.S. air forces in Saudi Arabia last week. Dugan, a tall, gregarious, self-assured fighter pilot, believed that the Air Force has a critical--indeed central--role in any military operations against Iraq, and he wanted to tell his service's story.

If the United States and Iraq go to war, the U.S. military plans to unleash a relentless air campaign designed in part to "decapitate" the Iraqi leadership by targeting President Saddam Hussein, his family, his senior commanders, his palace guard and even his mistress, according to senior U.S. military planners.

Under a wilting sun in the historic courtyard of the U.S. Naval Academy's Bancroft Hall, the Navy Friday rang eight bells for the change of watch at the pinnacle of the 215-year-old service. After four years as chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Carlisle A. H. Trost was ceremonially relieved of command by his successor, Adm. Frank B. Kelso, another veteran of the submarine service.

Just when other parts of the world are experiencing new freedoms of expression, we say Robert Mapplethorpe's photography shouldn't be shown and Billy Crystal's humor must be censored. How ironic. HAL SMITH Pacific Palisades

A detective credited with helping catch a prolific bank robber and solving a number of violent crimes was awarded the Optimist Club's Michael A. Sergi Award for Law Enforcement Excellence. Long Beach Police Det. Michael J. Dugan, 48, accepted the award Friday from the Long Beach Optimist Club, said Officer Nancy A. Pratt.

Just when other parts of the world are experiencing new freedoms of expression, we say Robert Mapplethorpe's photography shouldn't be shown and Billy Crystal's humor must be censored. How ironic. HAL SMITH Pacific Palisades