I thought I was done with Mr. Mattis, but then I received an email with an attachment from a gentleman who writes for several magazine. I was moved by his article and asked if he minded I use it on the blog and he enthusiastically endorsed the use of it. So, here it is. Enjoy one last spit balls at Mr. Mattis. In case you cannot pick it out, he is a Marine, albeit, a poor one in my eyes, but he is still a Marine.
A Mad Dog’s Lament
By: G. Maresca
When Marine Corps Gen. Jim Mattis was nominated as President Trump’s secretary of defense, he needed a congressional waiver to be confirmed because federal law prohibits former military officers from serving as secretary of defense within seven years of retiring. That waiver came without restraint as Mattis was well-known and respected throughout Capitol Hill.
Many veterans were pleased Mattis would be serving again especially Marines, as one of their own would be at the pinnacle at the Department of Defense. Those who follow the Corps were well acquainted with Mattis and many anticipated he would eventually be named commandant. That was not to be as Mattis’ days were numbered when he rightfully disagreed with President Obama’s dreadful multi billion dollar Iranian nuclear deal.
That only endeared Mattis even more.
Being a hero is no guarantee that one day your ego will not get the best of you. History is littered with such individuals like Alcibiades, Napoleon, and even Benedict Arnold.
Throughout the Corps’ storied history, no Marine has ever served as president, or vice president and only two have been appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since that rank’s inception in 1949.
Over the past half century, Mattis is likely the most recognized Marine since the legendary, Chesty Puller.
In the latest issue of the Atlantic, a magazine that has scaled the leftist alps for over a decade, Mattis lives up to his Jarhead moniker of “mad dog” going on the offensive criticizing President Trump.
Mattis condemns Trump’s walk to St. John’s, an historic church that was torched the night before that the Washington D.C. mayor refused to stop, “as a bizarre photo op.” Trump’s appearance underscored religious liberty that is enshrined within the Constitution that Mattis once swore to defend against all enemies both foreign and domestic.
Mattis continued: “Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us.”
For eight years Barack Obama fanned the flames of racial enmity in such a way that the media and apparently Mattis advocated.
We are now agonizing through its consequences.
Speaking after the launch of NASA/SpaceX Trump declared: “The death of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis was a grave tragedy. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger, and grief. Yesterday, I spoke to George’s family and expressed the sorrow of our entire nation for their loss. I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace and I stand before you in firm opposition to anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack, and menace. Healing, not hatred, justice, not chaos, are the missions at hand.”
Divisive?
Where is Mattis’ condemnation of the Democrats’ condoning riots that has killed and destroyed the businesses of hundreds, if not thousands? Where is his disapproval of the politicization of federal law enforcement agencies arranging clearly false plots against political opponents, including a fellow Gen. Michael Flynn, and a sitting president?
Where is the outrage about such seditious, if not treasonous acts that continues to divide the nation that threatens the constitutional order Mattis professes to revere?
Mattis went on to denounce Trump’s threat to use the military to restore order. Perhaps Mattis is not the historian he claims to be possessing a personal library of over 7,000 books, or that he has no qualms about ignoring how prior presidents utilized the military to quell riots in order to serve his own political agenda.
After all, generals are inherently political as all senior officers are congressional appointees.
Mattis is revealing himself to be another covered and concealed member of the D.C. swamp, who doesn’t want to participate in its demise, maintaining what the last general who called the White House home (Eisenhower) dubbed, “the military industrial complex.”
Mattis resigned as Secretary of Defense because he objected to Trump removing our troops from Syria where Mattis believed the Kurd’s would be decimated, but weren’t.
It appears Mattis and Trump are probably more alike than not with a dominating personality.
Mattis’ diatribe does nothing to heal the nation. Perhaps these former high-ranking military officers need to continue the tradition of self-censorship to maintain the reputation of the armed forces as non-political.
However, it is certainly Mattis’ First Amendment right not to abide.
Mattis might want to undertake Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s advice and “just fade away”. If not, then he needs to stop with the political pontificating, and book writing, and throw his cover in the ring and run for public office.
Bottom line in November: Trump or Biden.
If Mattis believes Biden is the answer, the general has more than his crossed rifles – crossed.
Originally posted 2020-06-11 15:48:46.
