Big Government: At a remote military base in Jordan earlier this month, U.S. Marines were abuzz with excitement — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was in town.
He would not be visiting Camp Titin, where they were training Jordanian forces — but he would be nearby at an international terrorism conference in Aqaba, Jordan, and for these Marines, that was close enough.
One recalled being deployed in Afghanistan years ago, and how Mattis, then-commander of U.S. Central Command, had been just feet away from him, delivering a pep talk.
“Ask him if he has coins,” he said, referring to the challenge coins that commanders and senior defense leaders carry to hand out to troops as a small token of gratitude. “They’re probably blocks of granite!” he joked, a nod to Mattis’s reputation for toughness.
“Tell him his Marines love him,” he added.
When that message was relayed to Mattis by this reporter, the defense secretary smiled and said he didn’t have coins.
“I’m saving money for bombs,” he replied.
The story encapsulates how Mattis has approached his first year as Defense Secretary: laser-focused on combat-effectiveness, fiscal responsibility, and maintaining a low-profile.
“Mattis sees his job as carrying out the president’s military priorities and that’s it. He doesn’t see his job as making policy or ‘fixing’ President Trump’s agenda,” said Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. read more
I’m gonna save some coin to buy good old Jim a drink should I ever have the honor to meet him. Probably to busy keeping me safe to take me up on it though.
From the article: “Critics claim that credit should go to former President Obama — but analysts say the strategy was new and different in several ways: It allowed commanders on the ground to make more decisions, which sped up the pace of the war. It also ordered the “annihilation” of ISIS fighters — surrounding them entirely instead of letting them flee and live to fight another day, and potentially launch attacks in their home countries.”
The talking points theme this past month regarding the successes in Syria is the latest in the series of the misinformation campaign by media to give credit for POTUS Trump’s foreign policy changes to that anti-American millstone also known as former president obama.
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach the canon of “fundamentally transforming” America.
And another thing: I LOVE how POTUS Trump honors Secy/Gen. Mattis’ great love and deep calling to serve his nation. This is one area in which Trump excels; recognizing the greatness, skill and professionalism that come from Mattis’ life-long pursuit. He lets Mattis be Mattis.
oooorah, General Mattis.
No better qualified person for the position.
Start weeding out the political, social justice colonels and generals, replace them with combat proven leaders/warriors.
I am thankful we have a real man and patriot like General Mattis in charge now.
Cato nailed it. As part of the Left’s and disgraced ex-president obama’s vast leftwing conspiracy to castrate our military, they conducted an active purge of gung-ho generals and admirals and promoted a bunch of asslicking toadies to replace them.
I hope Trump & Mattis are purging the toadies as fast as possible.