Article

2018-12-27 Home Front: Politix

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Besoeker 2018-12-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 “I paid a military security price every day as the commander of CentCom because the Americans were seen as biased in support of Israel, and that moderates all the moderate Arabs who want to be with us, because they can’t come out publicly in support of people who don’t show respect for the Arab Palestinians,” Mattis said in 2013 at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2018-12-27 00:50|| 2018-12-27 00:50|| Front Page Top

#2 Reading Tea Leaves for Christmas

"Thomas Ricks says Mattis was fired because:

Pentagon insiders say that he rubbed civilian officials the wrong way – not because he went all “mad dog,” which is his public image, and the view at the White House, but rather because he pushed the civilians so hard on considering the second- and third-order consequences of military action against Iran. Some of those questions apparently were uncomfortable. Like, what do you do with Iran once the nuclear issue is resolved and it remains a foe? What do you do if Iran then develops conventional capabilities that could make it hazardous for U.S. Navy ships to operate in the Persian Gulf? He kept saying, “And then what?”"

Posted by newc 2018-12-27 01:00|| 2018-12-27 01:00|| Front Page Top

#3 Mattis? He was that dude that Obama fired, right?
Why indeed he was!

It is worth nothing that the quote in #2 is actually from an article titled The Obama administration’s inexplicable mishandling of Marine Gen. James Mattis
BY THOMAS E. RICKS | JANUARY 18, 2013

The Reading Tea Leaves for Christmas link manages to obscure this fact by conflating two separate events.

Posted by SteveS 2018-12-27 05:18|| 2018-12-27 05:18|| Front Page Top

#4 Yes, always remember, "the cult of personality" is a bad thing. Except when it isn't...

Posted by M. Murcek 2018-12-27 07:55|| 2018-12-27 07:55|| Front Page Top

#5 I will back Trump, not because he is a fine man, but because he is an effective necessary Leader and the Left DIS likes him intensely. I regard General Matthis as a fine soldier and an upright courageous man.
I regret Trump needs Yes men ( but under his present harassment it seems necessary ) and Matthis isn''t one of those even on Kiss my Butt day. Matthis is what I wish Trump were, but he isn't.
Schumer is my choice for Kiss my Butt day. And Nancy Pelosi is a dried up Cow. No milk even on a good day.
General Matthis still HAS all his talents. He always will. Men like Matthis will always BE truly Matthis.

Trump will be gone someday. But until Trump is gone, General Matthis is still good for future backup. We may need General Matthis again someday.
He isn't going to go away, he's too valuable. And he stands out to other men who know what a Man should be. Men like Matthis don't back down. They are actually real, and they are what I would call "righteous men."

Posted by Kofi Elmusort7578 2018-12-27 10:10|| 2018-12-27 10:10|| Front Page Top

#6 I like Mattis but there is a reason we have civilians dictating policy and the military implementing policy.

Posted by ruprecht 2018-12-27 21:11|| 2018-12-27 21:11|| Front Page Top

#7 ^ This

Posted by Frank G 2018-12-27 21:13|| 2018-12-27 21:13|| Front Page Top

21:13 Frank G
21:12 Frank G
21:12 ruprecht
21:11 ruprecht
21:05 ruprecht
21:02 ruprecht
19:05 magpie
18:54 Glolush Whusotch4899
18:44 Glolush Whusotch4899
18:41 Glolush Whusotch4899
18:36 Glolush Whusotch4899
17:58 Anguper Hupomosing9418
17:57 Silentbrick
17:56 Bright Pebbles
17:47 trailing wife
17:46 lord garth
16:50 NoMoreBS
16:16 Besoeker
15:55 Procopius2k
15:42 Bright Pebbles
15:30 Count Galeazzo the Anonymous7377
15:25 Woodrow
15:19 Bright Pebbles
15:13 Woodrow