Sec. Mattis, voice of reason? Or just a man trying to keep the dam from bursting?

[The Polack MSgt]

Defense Secretary James Mattis said Wednesday that NATO does not calculate “past money owed” and Germany is on track to meet its alliance commitments, despite President Trump claiming that the country owed money.

“I cannot give you an accounting for past money owed, because that’s not the way we do that in NATO,” Mattis told the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee. “We do it through capabilities. That’s the commitment each nation makes."

From The Hill: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/325202-defense-chief-nato-doesnt-track-past-money-owed

Remember that this is the man who highlighted the need for allies and strong alliances in his first message to the DOD on his first day as Secretary of Defense. He also called the Intelligence Services vital for the security of the USA

Together with the Intelligence Community we are the sentinels and guardians of our
nation. We need only look to you, the uniformed and civilian members of the
Department and your families, to see the fundamental unity of our country.

SNIP

Recognizing that no nation is secure without friends, we will work
with the State Department to strengthen our alliances.

* Excerpted from:
"IMMEDIATE RELEASE" No. NR‐020‐17, Jan. 20, 2017
Message to the Department of Defense from Secretary of Defense James Mattis

And finally after meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg he had this to say:

NATO is growing stronger with an increasing U.S. commitment despite allies' concerns over recent comments by President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.

"We have a very strong trans-Atlantic bond," Mattis said at the start of a meeting at the Pentagon with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "It's getting stronger," he said, though "relationships don't stay the same" in the 28-member NATO alliance. "They are always changing," he said.

"In this case, the bond is getting stronger," Mattis added. "It's built on a legacy of common commitments and common defense and we never forget that in this building."

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/03/22/mattis-us-nato-ties-getting-stronger.html

I know that this sounds like I'm shopping for a silver lining in the 45 debacle, but keep on keeping on Secretary Mattis

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. There was a coup in America. Russia took over, they may not control all aspects of the

illegal administration, if Mattis is not one of those conducting espionage against the USA on behalf of Russia, that would be good.

But at the end of the day, the person who absolutely got more votes in the popular vote and EC, Hillary, should be in the White House.

Unless people here think the Russians spent decades and hundreds of millions of dollars planting agents on the ground here, some who have been here for DECADES, in positions to include the media, sitting politicians, high level talk show hosts, ELECTION BOARD officers, and then got their dream candidate, cheeto dumbshit, and then LEFT IT UP to the AMERICAN PEOPLE ????

Think about how there is NO way they did that, they made SURE he would win.

[nycbos]

2. Re: Voice of reason? Or just a man trying to keep the dam from bursting?

These two things are not mutually exclusive. He can be doing both simultaneously.


From what has been going on it is clear why several people turned down the National Security Advisor position.


McMaster couldn't because he is active duty.

[The Polack MSgt]

3. Mattis has been catching heat from

The GOP regarding his hiring practices as well.

A nameless Republican Senator was whining to the press that Mattis was nominating too many folks who had worked under Obama.

Said that Mattis was acting like "he didn't know we won the election... we expect to see Republicans in these jobs"

Well ya know what Senator Fuckstick McDickless?

Maybe he wanted competent assistants that he already knew and trusted, or did you forget that Mattis served under Obama as well?

[nycbos]

4. Indeed

He is appointing who he thinks are the best people to protect the nations security instead of party hacks. Imagine that.

[FSogol]

5. Conan O'Brien said that "Mad Dog's" name is now "Reasonable Dog" Mattis

[The Polack MSgt]

6. I'm old and am already asleep when he comes on

But, yeah - That sounds about right

[FSogol]

7. One problem is: Is he really reasonable or just reasonable by comparison?

Last edited Thu Mar 23, 2017, 02:07 PM - Edit history (1)

[The Polack MSgt]

8. Well, that really depends on your definition of reasonable

Despite his nickname and some of his most quoted statements I believe he is a reasonable man.

His reputation as a General Officer was that of an apolitical hard working and honest man. His reputation as a Marine Combat Commander was he was prepared clever and aggressive.

But is spending 30+ years of your adult life training & preparing for and occasionally executing combat missions fundamentally reasonable?

Opinions vary. I spent over 20 years in the military, but I was not combat arms - I was an electronics tech. I carried rifle while deployed, but never even chambered a round let alone exchanged fire with anyone. By my way of thinking? I believe Mattis is a decent and professional man.

His honesty and warped sense of humor - The quotes that probably led 45 to pick him in the 1st place - can be off putting to many people who've never been exposed to that kind of thinking.

I firmly believe that he read the "Be polite, be professional and have a plan to kill everyone you meet" quote and thought that's my guy. He never checked the context regarding when he said it or to whom it was said - because he can't read for comprehension.

BTW, he said that quote to Marine Officers in Afghanistan when asked about how to handle meeting village leaders not knowing if they were Taliban or not - It got a big laugh