I strongly suspect that the reaction to General Mattis' comments is one of those red state/blue state things. Personally, I loved them. I am from one of the reddest states of all -- Texas. I imagine that the comments didn't go over nearly so well in places like Vermont.
Maybe its more of a dem/republican thing. I'm a blue stater and I loved what he said. Especially if you heard the context (which of course, in the MSM you didn't) which was that you are shooting scum who beat women for not wearing a veil. As a woman, I'd shoot 'em myself.
Last night on Hannity & Colmes, Ann Coulter referred to General Mattis as her future husband!