Posted on 09/03/2019 12:12:43 PM PDT by BlackFemaleArmyColonel
Though former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis only mentions his last boss, President Trump, in the opening pages of his new book, the Washington establishment seems certain the tome on leadership is directed at him, with one observer calling it “mainly a 100,000-word subtweet.”
Mattis says he won’t discuss a sitting president, though it seems clear he disdains Trump’s leadership style. But he is scathing about a former president in Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead, which is released today, and he doesn’t hesitate to name him: Barack Obama.
The former general's opinion of Obama, for whom Mattis was head of U.S. Central Command from 2010 until 2013, might be summed up by a single entry in the book’s index: “Obama, Barack, strategic thinking lacking.”
That entry points readers to a couple of the book’s most thoughtful passages on the necessity of allies and the dangers of alienating them. Those who have heard Mattis in his publicity campaign emphasize these points assume he’s speaking indirectly of Trump: for example, his disparagement of NATO. But Mattis makes clear in Call Sign Chaos that he believes Obama bungled Middle East policy and, as a result, sent American allies around the world a dangerous message.
Mattis summarizes his time commanding CENTCOM, overseeing military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia until Obama fired him, in harsh terms: “It was to be a time when I would witness duty and deceit, courage and cowardice, and, ultimately, strategic frustration.” The general was in charge of two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan, though one ended on his watch — or so the president said.
“You know I say what I mean, and I mean what I say,” Obama said in fall 2012, as Mattis notes. “I said I’d end the war in Iraq. I ended it.”
Mattis follows this up with an even more succinct statement: “Rhetoric doesn’t end conflicts.”
He details in the book how Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, who was in charge of Iraq policy, were “ignoring reality” in the country and made a political decision to withdraw troops, a choice that allowed the return of al Qaeda in a new and more ambitious guise, the Islamic State.
how refreshing; someone who knows who to blame for the debacle that became iraq.
funny- all i’ve seen (haven’t read) in the headlines is his criticism of President Trump...
He's what they mean by "a few good men".
According to Bob Woodward’s book “Obama’s Wars”, O put Biden in total charge of Afghanistan, which assignment Joe accepted with relish. However, it was a complete cluster (and wasn’t much better under W).
Biden should not be seriously considered for anything above Dog Catcher!!
Obama’s goal was PROMOTING ISLAM
Isn’t that clear yet??
The “Arab Spring” was the attempt to create the caliphate.
Mattis is clearly a Racist.
Worst
President
Ever
Yep. I don’t trust Mattis A retired flag officer should not do this.
I remember saying back in 2009 that if the Russians or Chinese had any wars they wanted to end, any territory to occupy, or bases to build, now was the time to do it.
The Chinese moved into the south China Sea in a big way in the next 5 years.
I doubt he will ever speak out....cuz the time will never be right.
Remember....Obama out and out fired Mattis.
For all practical purposes so did Trump.
The term, “Mad Dog,” does not mean that he is angry. It means he is crazy, as in “Mad Hatter!” He is respected by Marines but I’m sure that most of them are more loyal than critical.
I think there is some craziness to consider.
Is this the same “Mattis” who supported the rebel movement in Syria? And “supported the leadership of the emirates” in Syria.
The dumbass forgets to mention that the US government CIA/State/DOD/USAID created and funded ISIS (AQ in Syria, FSA, Al Nusra etc ad nauseum) before they got out of control.
It wasn’t just that we pulled out of Iraq.
He stabbed Trump in the back for wanting forces removed from Syria. Mattis is in the “remove Assad and install a sunni government” camp. He is also a never married bachelor who refused to execute Trump’s orders kicking out trannies too.
And yet he removed American troops from Iraq and stood by while tens of thousands of innocent civilians and captured soldiers were brutally slaughtered and while ISIS committed the most heinous war crimes imaginable
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