Defense Secretary Mattis: 'Climate change' is a national security threat

Washington Examiner ^ | 03/15/2017 | Paul Bedard

[SeekAndFind]

In a clash with President Trump's environmental team, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has declared that climate change is a threat to national security and one military planners must consider in drawing up strategies.

According to a report from ProPublica, Mattis told Democratic senators that climate change is real and "can be a driver of instability."

His position, at odds with President Trump and his Environmental Protection Agency chief, came in answers to questions from senators following his confirmation hearing. They were released to ProPublica which reached out to the White House and Pentagon for comment without success.

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Andy Revkin ✔ @Revkin

#SecDef Mattis: "Climate change is impacting stability in areas of the world where our troops are operating today."

https://www.propublica.org/article/trumps-defense-secretary-cites-climate-change-national-security-challenge/utm_campaign=bt_twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social …

11:35 AM - 14 Mar 2017 · Cold Spring, NY

121 121 Retweets 136 136 likes

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The issue of global warming and climate change flashed in the past week when EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt questioned the impact of man on the environment.

When asked about the impact of carbon dioxide, he said, "I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and there's tremendous disagreement about the degree of impact, so no, I would not agree that it's a primary contributor to the global warming that we see." He added, "We need to continue the debate and continue the review and the analysis."

[Theoria]

Confirmed 98 to 1. Not sure if that is a good thing.

[rlmorel]

Okay. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt with his undersecretary appointee, figuring there may have been things about her ability or his working relationship I didn’t know, but this seals it for me.

Anybody who signs on to the global warming crap has lost me for certain.

[NormsRevenge]

Is it me or is Mattis not worth the baggage and la la leftie climate change crap.?

[morphing libertarian]

Roman counsel to legions to combat climate change.

If you’re too hot take your cloak off. if you’re too cold put it on. If colder light fire and have broth. You’re gonna die tomorrow anyway, when you see those elephants come over the alps. You think Hannibal gives a shit that the temperature dropped.

I have this on good authority as an actual quote from Pattonius The Meek.

[Oldexpat]

Drought and famine are security concerns. Famine can also be the result of politics; as it is in Africa and Venezuela. They are legitimate security concerns.

[LS]

First concern about Mattis was his appointment of Anne what’s her name (who didn’t pass muster). Now this. No, climate change isn’t a driver of anything except climate.

[rlmorel]

I agree. I was onboard with the way he conducted the battle for Fallujah (even given the political constraints) but this is over the side.

[samtheman]

climate change isn’t a driver of anything except climate

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Of course. To call it a national security threat is to put on a very tight pair of linda graham undies and squeal like a stuck pig.

[AU72]

Forcing the military use unreliable and scarce green fuels is a national security threat.

General! North Korea is crossing the DMZ!

Sorry but our tanks ran out of their supply of biofuel.

[chiller]

Agreed. He wasn't hired because of his global warming positions, and in fact probably wasn't asked about it. As long as he doesn't alter military policy because of unnecessary global warming fears, who cares.

An ambiguous position is wise in this political environment.

[central_va]

Madness..

[rlmorel]

Actually, in reading his actual words, he did differentiate between “man-caused” climate change and “climate change”.

There is a difference. Nearly everyone agrees there is climate change, because over time, that is what climate does.

Where we disagree, is the impact of man on climate change, specifically targeting CO2 as the culprit.

I still have reached the same conclusion on him, though.

[central_va]

The only climate he needs to worry about is charcoalling the enemy.

[Lent]

So called man made climate change or simple climate change as a natural phenomenon? Who is drawing the negative inference?

[Kickass Conservative]

The Climate has been changing since the Earth was formed.

Did I miss the word “Manmade” in those comments?

If it wasn’t there, who cares?

Of course if Climate Change is actually the result of Man’s actions, how can we stop it, Euthanize the entire Human Species? That is really the only answer.

We can’t stop the Climate from changing any more than the Fleas on a Dog can teach it to fetch a Beer from the Fridge.

[wardaddy]

What is wrong with these folks

[catnipman]

“In unpublished written testimony” = “unsubstantiated rumors” = fake news

and besides the SecDef doesn’t establish policy, all he does is carry out President Trump’s orders on military matters, so I couldn’t care less about ANYTHING this guy believes other than what he believes about military matters.

[bramps]

We have a certified fool in charge of the country’s defense. He needs to go right now.

[txhurl]

I’d be far more alarmed if the climate suddenly became *static*.

[Charles Martel]

Madness, indeed. Perhaps Mattis’ nickname isn’t as complimentary as we first believed.