FACTBOX: Adm. William Fallon oversaw Iraq and Afghan wars

(Reuters) - Adm. William Fallon, head of the U.S. military command in charge of Iraq and Afghanistan, stepped down on Tuesday following a magazine article that portrayed him as challenging President George W. Bush on Iran policy, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.

Following are some facts about Fallon.

* Fallon, 63, took over on March 16, 2007 as commander, U.S. Central Command, the regional headquarters that oversees military operations in the Middle East, including Iraq and Afghanistan. He succeeded Army Gen. John Abizaid, who retired.

* In his resignation statement he said: "Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the President's policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time and hamper efforts in the CENTCOM region."

* That followed an article in Esquire magazine that portrayed Fallon as resisting a drive by the Bush administration to take tough action against Iran. The magazine described him as "The Man Between War and Peace."

* Fallon, who began his 41-year career as a fighter pilot and flew missions in Vietnam, had previously been head of the U.S. Pacific Command, where he played a major role in the U.S. response to the rapid military build-up by China.

* At his confirmation hearing in January 2007, Fallon told the Senate Armed Service Committee the United States might have to lower expectations for Iraq.

* While he has been overseeing the war in Iraq, the level of violence dropped sharply after President George W. Bush ordered a big deployment of extra U.S. forces last year.

(Writing by Paul Grant, Washington Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by David Storey)