General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI nominate General James Mattis for Secretary of Defense in the Biden administration.
If you have read Bob Woodwards book, Rage, you will fully understand. Mattis is a true patriot, the epitome of what it means to be a GOOD public servant and a tireless steward of Americas military might who is committed to civilian control of the military.
I dont know whether or not this is what the author intended, but Mattis is the STAR of the first half of Woodwards latest book.
-Laelth
TheBlackAdder
(28,800 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)Trump fired him because he was more loyal to the Constitution and to the people of the United States than he was to Trump.
Chapter 1 of Woodwards book is focused entirely on Mattis. In chapter 17, Mattis is a bad-ass. The book is worth reading.
-Laelth
TheBlackAdder
(28,800 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)But I hope you read Woodwards new book. I have gained tremendous respect for Mattis as a result of doing so.
-Laelth
ahoysrcsm
(977 posts)However, we should not bring anyone that has been with Trump administration. We do not need extra baggage with tainted individuals.
JI7
(90,226 posts)to pick from.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Mattis replied by saying, in effect, Mom, I am working for the Constitution, not Trump. Mom relented and said, All right. All right.
If you have read Woodwards book, you will know why we were very fortunate to have Mattis as our Secretary of Defense during the early years of the Trump administration.
Note: the Senate approved Mattis 2017 nomination 98-1. He even got Bernie Sanders support. I have not yet determined who that one dissenting Senator was.
-Laelth
JI7
(90,226 posts)Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)We don't need or want Chump's sloppy seconds, no matter who they are.
TheBlackAdder
(28,800 posts)onetexan
(13,755 posts)hlthe2b
(105,775 posts)So, I suspect Biden may have issues with him.
Still, I do respect Mattis for his past service.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)I suspect that his position on that matter has changed.
-Laelth
hlthe2b
(105,775 posts)WHAT evidence do you have for making that assumption?
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Sorry. Thats all I have.
-Laelth
TwilightZone
(27,560 posts)You might want to review why Obama fired him in the first place. Expecting that he's done a 180 since then simply isn't realistic.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)I highly recommend Woodwards new book.
-Laelth
tman
(1,125 posts)There was a reason he was let go during the Obama admin.
I don't trust Woodward.
Wanderlust988
(564 posts)and that's only cause he has a term. I highly doubt there will be ANY holdovers or retreads from the Trump era. Powell at the Fed will probably be a holdover due to him having a term as well.
GusFring
(756 posts)Yavin4
(35,903 posts)Fresh blood is desperately needed.
ornotna
(11,044 posts)Still has tRump poo on his shoe. It'll be awhile before that stink goes away.
Ron Green
(9,839 posts)A step towards honesty.
jorgevlorgan
(10,278 posts)LisaM
(28,407 posts)It's like Colin Powell and Bush. He gave Candidate Trump legitimacy that he did not deserve (a Trump voter from my hometown was raving about Mattis before the 2016 election, though she went radio silent on him later).
He does not deserve any reward.
rurallib
(63,071 posts)especially Defense and Treasury.
We have tons of experienced people.
SharonClark
(10,245 posts)hell be betraying all the Dems who brought him to the dance.
Snake Plissken
(4,103 posts)But this opinions on how we should position ourselves in the Middle East are unrealistic and very dated.
He would want nothing more that a large scale military conflict with Iran, which as we all know would never end and accomplish nothing but even more misery.
We need a Secretary of Defense who understands that what's in the best interest of the United States is to get out of that region of the world and focus energy independence to reduce the influence of that region of the world, and not to increase our presence there.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Chapter 17 of Woodwards book explains how Mattis manhandled his Chinese counterpart, and its a thing of beauty. Mattis handling of the affair almost certainly prevented a war with China.
-Laelth
BGBD
(3,282 posts)The Chinese have absolutely no officers with combat experience in their military.
Mattis let his counterpart know, in no uncertain terms, that if it came to war, the US would kick Chinas a**.
-Laelth
dawg day
(7,947 posts)If he would have come out loudly and publically and told us what he knew about Trump when he resigned, I would have more respect for him...
and Dan Coats...
And John Kelly...
And Kjirsten Nielsen...
blueinredohio
(6,797 posts)BootinUp
(48,638 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)But make no mistake. Mattis is the star of the first half of Woodwards new book, and we could do a lot worse.
Mattis was confirmed by the Senate 98-1. He even had Bernie Sanderss support, and Woodwards book makes it clear that we were very fortunate to have him as our Secretary of Defense during the early years of the Trump administration.
-Laelth
WhiteTara
(30,106 posts)war criminal from the Iraq war foisted off on the world by *co. He used phosphorous in Fallujah.
superpatriotman
(6,501 posts)Or General Wesley Clark
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Clark is 75 and definitely retired. I dont see that happening.
-Laelth
awesomerwb1
(4,498 posts)gulliver
(13,318 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)Dont we have someone younger who would make a good Secretary of Defense?
-Laelth
SharonClark
(10,245 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
panader0
(25,816 posts)milestogo
(17,267 posts)Call it the Comey doctrine.
RicROC
(1,222 posts)...and no reaching across the aisle until we have this mess straightened out. Those men mentioned in this original post knew what Trump was like, JUST AS WE DID. Yet, they joined his administration. Sorry...but every crumb needs to be swept out.
still_one
(95,621 posts)was negotiating the Iran nuclear deal
VMA131Marine
(4,544 posts)There are better options.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Who are our better options for Secretary of Defense? I am genuinely curious.
-Laelth
Autumn
(45,942 posts)2naSalit
(91,757 posts)helpisontheway
(5,189 posts)Polly Hennessey
(7,339 posts)He deserves to be forgotten.
Bucky
(55,334 posts)What are you smoking, Laelth?
Mattis is a loyal and patriotic American, and I'm grateful that he tried to curtail the worst of Trump's excesses for as long as he could. But he's also a champion for Trump's absurd and obscene military buildup that kicked off this four year long heartbreaking shit-charade
But we need a Democrat with defense department oversight experience who can get in there and slash the ridiculously bloated military budget.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)I might smoke it when I am done.
Mattis is portrayed very favorably by Woodward. The Senate confirmed Mattis 98-1. I am not the only Democrat who likes him.
-Laelth
CentralMass
(15,447 posts)LizBeth
(10,621 posts)him. No.
Rice4VP
(1,235 posts)He had a chance to publicly expose Trump while he was in there and didnt
GeorgeGist
(25,397 posts)ribrepin
(1,780 posts)He does public service announcements for wearing a mask. I like having General Mattis home. He's earned his retirement.
whistler162
(11,155 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)Hillary vetted him for VP. Trump vetted him for DNI and State.
-Laelth
mindfulNJ
(2,414 posts)No one who has EVER propped up Trump in ANY way should EVER be anywhere NEAR the White House. Where is Mattis NOW????
NewJeffCT
(56,834 posts)Mattis is a good general, but Biden should bring in his own people
Sec Def - Pete Buttigieg
WhiskeyGrinder
(23,618 posts)eissa
(4,238 posts)Biden wont appoint someone who was fired by Obama. I dont care how patriotic Mattis is portrayed to be, I question the morals and judgment of anyone who endorsed this SOB and then chose to work for him. There are plenty of other qualified people out there without trumps shit smeared over them. Mattis can do the patriotic thing and spend the rest of his days atoning for the mess he helped create.