Posted on 11/03/2007 7:38:36 AM PDT by RedRover
CAMP PENDLETON — The top general who led Marines into combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, drawing both fire and praise for his handling of cases involving the deaths of civilians, bade a reluctant and emotional farewell to his troops Friday.
Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis, newly assigned to a joint command at Norfolk, Va., wrote to his Marines and sailors that "you've been my daily inspiration -- even on the toughest days, you've stood there boldly undismayed. . . . I'm forever in your debt."
For the past year, Mattis has led the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Central Command, which gave him considerable influence over U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
His successor, Maj. Gen. Samuel T. Helland, whose appointment was confirmed Thursday by the Senate, will inherit not just the duties of training and deploying Marines for war zone duty but also the cases of alleged abuse by Marines against civilians.
Mattis was initially criticized by conservatives for bringing charges against Marines; after several cases ended with reduced sentences or charges dropped, some critics charged that he had been too lenient.
Several key cases remain, including the upcoming courts-martial involving Marines linked to the death of 24 civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha in late 2005. As Mattis' successor, Helland will become the convening authority, with the power to accept or reject plea bargains, grant clemency and overturn or reduce any sentences meted out by military juries.
Helland is one of the few officers in the military who served in Vietnam, as an enlisted soldier with the Army's Special Forces. He later graduated from the University of Minnesota at Duluth and became a Marine officer and helicopter pilot.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
These POS media and Democrat a$$hats are getting rid of our best commanders.
Good Luck to both of them.
And by the way...
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God speed General Mattis!
On February 1, 2005, Lieutenant General Mattis, speaking at a forum in San Diego, apparently said “You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain’t got no manhood left anyway. So it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them. Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight. You know, it’s a hell of a hoot. It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.” Mattis’s remarks sparked controversy, and General Michael W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps, issued a statement suggesting that Mattis should have chosen his words more carefully, but would not be disciplined.
Next week, Mattis will become the U.S. Joint Forces Command commander and NATO supreme allied commander for transformation, based in Norfolk. He will be promoted to general, Helland to lieutenant general.
Mattis is known as a tough-talking infantry officer who once got scolded for saying it was "fun" to kill some enemies. Nonetheless, his letter to his troops was unusually personal, including references to seeing military families "choke back tears" and how U.S. troops show compassion for Iraqis despite "a merciless enemy [that] slaughters the innocent."
The letter includes lines adapted from the Irish poet William Butler Yeats:
"Think where man's glory most begins and ends
and I say my glory was I had such friends."
Way to go, Mad Dog Mattis! I’m glad that we at least have one fighting general left in the Patton mold...!
great letter here from the General, thanks to an archive thread from RaceBannon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1117149/posts
OH.
Yes.
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