Mattis "retiring" in February
- Thread starter UncleMark
- Start date
Trump is lying again. Mattis is not retiring. He is resigning because he doesn’t agree with Trump’s policies towards our allies:
Well, let’s see...there are no grownups left. What could happen, right?
Well, let’s see...there are no grownups left. What could happen, right?
Putin said Donald made the "right" move:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...roops-from-syria/ar-BBRdmO6?OCID=ansmsnnews11
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...roops-from-syria/ar-BBRdmO6?OCID=ansmsnnews11
Trump should just name Gen Sergey Shoigu as his next Secretary of Defense. May as well just go all the way now.
another case of what Josh Marshall says
President Trump makes everything so binary, everything so black and white, that there is an inevitable tendency to lionize anyone who goes into opposition to him. That is a tendency worth resisting, as much with out-going Secretary Mattis as with anyone else. I’m trying to resist over-interpreting his resignation letter. But it doesn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation. The critical passage in my mind comes here …
The key points are there, respect for allies, recognizing the importance of alliances and not toadying or being naive about “malign actors and strategic competitors”, which is clearly at least mainly Russia. He earlier name-checks Russia and China as countries that “want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model – gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions – to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies.”
The key points are there, respect for allies, recognizing the importance of alliances and not toadying or being naive about “malign actors and strategic competitors”, which is clearly at least mainly Russia. He earlier name-checks Russia and China as countries that “want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model – gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions – to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies.”
Trump has to go. No two ways about it.
another case of what Josh Marshall says
President Trump makes everything so binary, everything so black and white, that there is an inevitable tendency to lionize anyone who goes into opposition to him. That is a tendency worth resisting, as much with out-going Secretary Mattis as with anyone else. I’m trying to resist over-interpreting his resignation letter. But it doesn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation. The critical passage in my mind comes here …
The key points are there, respect for allies, recognizing the importance of alliances and not toadying or being naive about “malign actors and strategic competitors”, which is clearly at least mainly Russia. He earlier name-checks Russia and China as countries that “want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model – gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions – to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies.”
Jared as Secretary of Defense? We have Ivanka, Don Jr., and Eric left...possibly Barron and that other daughter Trump never talks about from his first mistress.
Is it time for Barron to step up?
Is it time for Barron to step up?
Last edited:
Do Dems really want him to go? I'm asking honestly because if I was a Dem the last thing I'd want is a Haley/Rubio ticket in 2020 especially with RBG about to kick the bucket. I think Dems are hoping Trump hangs in there and the economy and stock market stall.
No. Americans who are not Trumpists care about the country. I want our country to win.
Heh....all I know is I had a certain level of comfort with all the military generals in Trump's administration....that it would preclude him from doing something apocalyptically stupid. Even with just Mattis around, I knew all he needed was about 3 seconds and his bare hands to end that nightmare lol. Now, all we have left are yes men/women, sycophants, and the politically ambitious.
another case of what Josh Marshall says
President Trump makes everything so binary, everything so black and white, that there is an inevitable tendency to lionize anyone who goes into opposition to him. That is a tendency worth resisting, as much with out-going Secretary Mattis as with anyone else. I’m trying to resist over-interpreting his resignation letter. But it doesn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation. The critical passage in my mind comes here …
The key points are there, respect for allies, recognizing the importance of alliances and not toadying or being naive about “malign actors and strategic competitors”, which is clearly at least mainly Russia. He earlier name-checks Russia and China as countries that “want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model – gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions – to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies.”
Were Mattis's values aligned with Trump while during the signing of the travel ban in the hall of heroes, he stood smiling as a prop?
Dont be ridiculous Hoop!
You cant put Barron there now -- he is only a Colonel at the moment.
You cant expect him at that rank to run the DOD. Maybe by Q4 2019 when they put him on a fast track to a four star.
Last edited:
We’re so ****ed.
You aint seen nothin' yet.
Wait till Mueller's noose gets even tighter ...
It sure does give me the foreboding feeling of the wheels falling off and some kind of catastrophic chain of events resulting.
Stocks tanking, key "adult" figures bailing, DoJ being submerged into the Trump slime, Syria abandoned, government shutdown threat, Cabinet members leaving under criminal investigation, Mueller advancing, the House Dems investigating anything and everything, the new AG nominee under fire, SDNY and the NY AG looking at the entire Trump operation.... and on and on and on. What more is it going to take before everything blows up?
Markets plunging, DOJ in turmoil. Staff bailing out and close to a shutdown. No wonder he blew 60.7 million (or 400+million in today's value) loaned by his dad and filed for bankruptcy more than six times.
He's a bull in a china shop.
But actually, I have a bit more faith in the institutions for a couple more years. But not sure it will withstand 6 more years of the deconstruction of the administrative state though.
One thing is for sure is the global standing of the USA has fallen -- and with two more years of it, it will have long-term damages.
The beginning of the end of an empire feeling.
Last edited:
Rock and roller, cola wars, I can't take it any more!
Mattis is an outstanding SecDef, and would be for any President. He is the most competent cabinet member Trump has. It's bad that he's leaving, so it's not good news.
Anyone celebrating this is a fool.
The world just got more dangerous and someone will test the next guy.
With Mattis you had a steady, known, quantity that our adversaries knew how to read to a degree.
His approach was simple: You threaten our forces, I'll destroy you (and not in the metaphorical sense)...
Let's hope the new guy is as tough minded and has the courage and the will to stand up to "the" Donald when he suddenly wants to "play army"...
Dunford is still on the job but he's active duty and a lawful order is a lawful order, so he has much less wiggle room when dealing with an incompetent in charge (in regards to military decisions)...
I was hoping Mattis would grit his teeth again and stick it out but I understand his resignation... Couldn't do anything else after the Donald just screwed the Kurds and our own Special Forces...
Last edited:
Apparently, Matthis will be the first Sec of Defence to ever resign in protest in the Nation's history.
cabinet secretaries come and go...we don't generally worry when one goes because someone else competent steps in. is there anything about the current situation that makes you think that won't happen here?
If it hasn’t already happened, the “deep state” needs to kick into gear by incorporating a process of any national security decisions coming from Trump, goes through Pence and Dunford for approval/rejection behind the scenes. A similar arrangement was set in place during the dark days of Watergate. Trump is more dangerous than Nixon, and needs to be removed from office by any legal means necessary. Soon.
Don't be coy. Neither of us trusts the judgment of this President.
I know how I feel about Trump...I am trying to figure out you feel about it. Your statement "it is bad" just doesn't give me much to work with...that's why I asked you how bad. This is your field so you have a different perspective than I do.
Mattis is championing the idea that we need to build the capacity of our partner nations to defend themselves and also to build a relationship with us so that they can better partner with us when necessary for peace keeping or defensive, or offensive, operations. He doesn't believe it's our job to be the policemen of the world - it should be a multi-national effort. All that at the same time he has been aligning our own military posture to meet the threats of the world today in accordance with the mission the military has been given. I hope he's not done, and whoever the next President is, he should be considered for a place in the administration.
As they say, everything Trump touches dies.
The Trumpstain would be too much for anyone to overcome Post-Trump.
