Posted on 12/20/2018 2:42:05 PM PST by Trump_the_Evil_Left
President Trump said Thursday evening that Defense Secretary James Mattis will be retiring in February, in a shock announcement adding to the list of the president's outgoing Cabinet members after his second year in office.
Mattis will step down "with distinction" after serving in his role for two years, the president said on Twitter.
"During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting equipment," Trump tweeted. "General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!"
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The timing of his letter, the date, just after President decided to removed troops from Syria looks like main reason for leaving.
These Gens are mostly REMFs.
Don’t know why Mattis surprised. Trump ran on getting out of Syria.
Syria isn’t mentioned in Mattis’ resignation letter that I can see. Russia and China are, and in the paragraph right before he mentions Trump being entitled to a like-minded Sec Def. If anything it looks to me like Mattis could want a harder line regarding Russia and China, but since Mattis isn’t detailing his disagreement we can only guess.
Now that U.S. money to ISIS has been cut off, why do we need to be there?
What about Colonel Allen West? Love that man.
Trump appointed people based on recommendations from moderates and establishment people.
Cost-benefit analysis: it’s smart to leave Syria. If we need to go back we easily can through north Jordan and western Iraq where we have bases.
The Turks and Saudis can fight the Syrians and Iranians. We don’t want to be drawn into that. We can supply the Kurds from NW Iraq and maintain a a No-Fly Zone over their territory.
At this point there is very little return in value for the US to be involved in middle east regional conflicts.
I agree.
Adam Schiff could have written that “resignation” letter. It’s a gold mine for Democrats and they will run with it. As Mattis intended I guess. He’s making trouble for POTUS here with the new Dem House. No doubt.
Trump said — IN OCTOBER — that Mattis might be retiring early. so clearly Syria didn’t suddenly spark this
Reading between the lines sounds to me like Mattis is pissed about the end of neocon leadership.
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Bingo!
I’m not going to throw shade on Mattis, he is a good guy who served his country with distinction. However, these guys who make it to the very top of our military are most definitely neo-cons at heart, and in ideology. They never met a missile they didn’t want to launch or a bomb they didn’t want to drop. Perpetual war in the Middle East is what they want. They see the U.S. military as a global peace force. To DJT’s credit, he has kept his promise to avoid both those scenarios.
Who cares what Adam Schiff thinks about Mattis.
Agree. The middle east countries have fought among themselves for thousands of years.
Now that the US has enough oil for our own needs we don’t have to rely on that region any longer.
Pardon Flynn and put Flynn at the post.
From “Mad Dog” to “Moderate Dog”
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/406448-trump-privately-calls-mattis-moderate-dog-report
President Trump is frustrated with Defense Secretary James Mattis and has privately disparaged the retired Marine general as a moderate unwilling to bend to Trump’s policy positions, according to a new report.
Politico reports that the president has privately coined a new nickname for him, “Moderate-Dog Mattis,” a riff off of Mattis’s famous “Mad Dog” moniker.
Trump has begun using the nickname behind closed doors, even as Mattis remains in the administration, Politico reports.
Administration officials tell the news outlet that they expect Mattis to resign or be dismissed following November’s midterm elections.
I agree, They were not on the same page. That is the long and short of it.
plus he’s 68 yrs old.
I think I’m gonna be sick.......I’m OLDER than Mattis??????........(kiddin’)........we need a blood and guts Defense Secretary that’s NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT!!!!!!
plus he’s 68 yrs old.
I think I’m gonna be sick.......I’m OLDER than Mattis??????........(kiddin’)........we need a blood and guts Defense Secretary that’s NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT!!!!!!
Exactly. With every trip to Walter Reed or Arlington, President Trump is determined to just Make America Great Again.
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