ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT — As the Islamic State (ISIS) loses its safe havens in Iraq and Syria, the U.S. military is looking to ensure the group does not find new ones from which they could plan and coordinate attacks on the U.S. and their allies.
One of those places is the Sinai Peninsula, linking Egypt to the Middle East, where Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said there has been an “uptick” in ISIS activity. Last week, the terrorist group was behind a bombing of a mosque in Egypt that killed hundreds, including women and children.
“There’s certainly an uptick in activity in the Sinai, and I just don’t want to speculate on the numbers themselves, and we are working closely with Egypt on how they can best defeat this common threat,” he told reporters traveling with him to the Middle East.
Mattis said there was also “increased concern” across Africa about ISIS seeking safe haven.
“Certainly across Africa, we see increased concern about this. I spoke yesterday with Prime Minister Fayez Serraj of Libya, where we’re promoting unity of Libya and how we put together a Friends of Libya effort that supports them to deny Libya as a direction [ISIS] can go,” he said.
He said although ISIS was collapsing in Syria, “You can’t simply move them out of one area and not help the other areas around it. We’re doing that right now, but again, by, with and through allies.”
Mattis on Friday embarked on a trip to Egypt and Jordan where he will meet with top civilian and military leaders to discuss efforts to defeat extremism, among other regional security challenges. He will then go to Pakistan and end his trip in Kuwait where the U.S. has a large presence of troops.
In Pakistan, Mattis will discuss efforts to end the war in Afghanistan.
God bless Saint General Mattis. The Warrior’s Warrior. Kick ass and forget the names.
He keeps his KaBar in one eyebag and a can of whoopass in the other. Chuck Norris has to wear his shitting pants to just email Mattis.
Half-Assed-Patriot
NOW WITH LEGITIMATE EMAIL!
Ow-You win the internets today.
I would rather catch my favorite appendage in a sliding class door than piss off the Great General.
I pity the fool that annoys the US off during his time in office
A week or so ago I watched SoS Tillerson give a briefing on his visit earlier in November to Africa to meet with heads of state there about a number of issues. He highlighted talks about islamic terrorism. I love the way POTUS Trump creates diplomatic, economic and military teams and explores all the issues from these multiple angles all at once instead of the piecemeal, almost accidental, approach taken by past administrations. Not only do the issues knit together seamlessly, consequences of a given approach are weighed against the other contingencies and are caught before there are newly created problems. The whole thing is way too orderly, efficient and effective for The Swamp to apprehend.
“I don’t lose sleep at night. I make other people lose sleep.” General Mattis. Don’t ya’ll just love this man?
He has a bear rug in his library. The bear is still alive, he’s just to scared to move.
Waaaaahhhhhhaaaaaahhhh
The guy is quietly doing his job and kicking ass! He is great!
I found this earlier this year and book marked it. Mattis is even more Bad Ass than people realize.
https://www.stripes.com/blogs-archive/the-rumor-doctor/the-rumor-doctor-1.104348/did-gen-mattis-pull-duty-on-christmas-so-a-marine-could-be-with-his-family-1.134995#.WiNepJtzLIU
The USMC has known for years where the next fight would be.
Get this. About 2 years ago a good friend who is a captain of an expeditionary unit stationed off shore in that region. I adopted his unit and I asked him what they needed. I was expecting the usual hygiene, toiletries, snacks, videos.
Nope. He said they wanted books about Yemen, Sudan, Somalia etc. He said that an educated Marine is a deadly Marine. Not easy finding such books, but I did.
Some had maps and glossaries. Language stuff. I only got to look at them for a day before shipping them out.
I’m told their part of the ship’s library now.
These badasses aren’t fucking around. Know your enemy. Then destroy it.
Yeah Brad, that speaks about the type of guy he must be. Have you noticed no one in the press is taking cheap shots at him? I don’t think they want to lay in bed at night wondering where he is.
PHenry
There’s are those on the Corp. that think the next war will be here. It’s only a matter of time really. WOLVERINES!!!!
Yep @Bad brad. Captain friend wants a large homestead in remote Wyoming or Montana. He’s been in the shit of war his entire adult life. Joined as a grunt just prior to 9/11. His body has been spent lugging 50+ of gear in combat zones for really long periods.
Love that guy.
And he was elated when a true warrior became SecDef.
PHenry
High ground, an easily defensible space. None of which I have now. I gotta move.
@BB. You have proven your patience. You can now move to wherever suits you. Haha. Shit dude,I’m
Not in CA, but VA. This place is crooked too. We need a new planet.
PHenry
I desperately want to leave. Got a few things stopping me. A mother in law, and a house. The Mother In Law is 92, but I love her like she was my mom. Her husbands buried here. She not big on leaving and the wife won’t leave with out her. The house is wide open front and back. Not easy to defend. It bothered me the day we bought it, ten years ago.
@BB. I know dude. We’ve all got our anchors. I’m ready to liquidate,buy an RV, toss the dog and cats into the behemoth and look for a new homestead. But truth be known, when you’re on 6 acres buried in an area where everyone around you have hundreds of acres, it’s a pretty good hideout. It’s just the politics in VA that sucks.
Time to reengage. Concrete Bob would insist.
I’ve thought about where to go as well, and I’ve reconciled that I’m staying put. Too many ties here, if I have to defend what I have I’ll do it here. Come and take it.
PHenry
Eventually we should all start communicating as to a possible destination. Just sayen. Research Northern AZ. This topic should be continued, updated, etc. Eventually, the more guns the better.
Thomas Sowell,
“If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism”
There is a damned good reason that SecDef General Mattis is known as “the warrior monk”, and why all Marines would follow him through the gates of Hell.
During his upcoming travels, I really hope General Mad Dog runs into our illustrious past
President, Obama, during Barry’s latest travels.
I mean I really hope he runs INTO him. Or over him. Or through him.
And then I hope the General backs up and runs into him again…….
Truffles, One point to add to your wonderful suggestion for the SoS travels, If and when General MD runs over someone who desperately needs such action, he would do it right…the first time…while greasing the tank treads with guts might be satisfying, our SoS would never let idle R&R time distract him from his mission to protect and defend the United States of America.
On a side note – after eight long years of seeing our country and our military used and abused by enemies foreign and domestic, we see real men and women once again standing up for what is right and good.
God Bless our United States of America and those who stand in harms way!