FP National Security

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks 

Friday, January 25, 2013 - 9:19 AM

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I am told that General Mattis was travelling and in a meeting when an aide passed him a note telling him that the Pentagon had announced his replacement as head of Central Command. It was news to him -- he hadn't received a phone call or a heads-up from anyone at the Pentagon or the White House.

I asked a friend about that. He wrote back:

...the commander-in-chief can make a change whenever he wants and give no reason. That is right and proper under our system of government.

But there's also the matter of common courtesy to an uncommon man. Here is what one person wrote to me: "What message does it send to the Services when the one leader known for his war-fighting rather than diplomatic or bureaucratic political skills is retired early via one sentence in the Pentagon's daily press handout? Even in battle, Mattis was inclusive of all under his command. He took the time to pull together his driver and guards after every day's rotation on the battlefield, telling them what he thought he had learned and asking them for input. Surely senior administration officials could have found the time to be gracious. But they didn't."  Bing West, admittedly a friend of Mattis and fellow Marine, tells me: "It was injudicious to truncate Mattis's command time because his toughness was well-known across the Middle East. The image of a determined warfighter is precisely what a commander-in-chief should cherish when trying to exert leverage upon a recalcitrant Iran."

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Replies

  • Well, it figures. Absolutely no class in this White House. What a slap in the face. Obama and his minions disgust me.

    • You are right about the no class part. You would think someone on the staff would advise them how to act or what is proper, but after seeing Mooch tough the Queen or when she was rolling her eyes at Boehner while shoveling food into her face, elbow on the table, protocol isn't in their vocabulary.  Or is this the Chicago way?

  • We can use him when the war starts.

  • Isn't this just another indicator that Obama is getting rid of anyone of authoritative experience and honorable character that would not turn their weapons on American civilians? It seems that our military leadership is being purged of all who are not seen as able or willing to tow the line of the Socialist elite.

  • Obama is just getting rid of leadership that will not fire on fellow Americans.

    • Obama is exercising his "I will have MORE latitude after I am re-elected" comment to Medvedev.  I believe he is purging our military of anyone who will not back him when it comes to going up against anyone who protests his move to "Progressive Collectivism" which he admitted in his inauguration speech.  What better place to start than with Marines.

  • Obama has no social skills. He is an 7th century thinking Muslim.

  • When you have an inexperienced helmsman at the wheel, why do you expect the ship to go in the right direction???

    I still say, "If butt hole and elbows were cement, there wold be thousands of political statues in Washington DC.

     

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  • Imagine the situation.  Mrs. Mattis is at home when the door bell rings. It's the garrison commander at McDill. "Ma'am you need to start preparing to move out.  The packers will be here next week." "Huh?" "Yes, your husband was fired today and you have to vacate quarters." "Fired? He never told me." "Well, he may not know yet. I'm just suppose to make sure you clear out of quarters so the new guy can move in."  

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