Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Resigned Today

[AGBF]

It has been widely reported that General Mattis was only holding out, failing to tender his resignation as Secretary of Defense, in the hopes that he could have a positive influence on President Trump. When Mr. Trump announced the abrupt withdrawal of US troops from Syria, there was speculation about whether he would, finally, resign. It seemed to many of us that if General Mattis could not advise Mr. Trump successfully on even this most urgent of issues, that he had no reason to remain and lend his good name to the Trump régime as it proceeded to betray our allies the Kurds and back out on the fight against ISIS. He apparently felt the same way.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/us/politics/jim-mattis-defense-secretary-trump.html

 

[KristinTech]

.... and Fox News went without mentioning it until 7:21 CST with Tucker Carlson, the said, “Mattis resigns.” A one-minute blip, nothing more.

This feels scarier than the other types of turmoil Trump stirs up.

 

[Calliecake]

.... and Fox News went without mentioning it until 7:21 CST with Tucker Carlson, the said, “Mattis resigns.” A one-minute blip, nothing more.

This feels scarier than the other types of turmoil Trump stirs up.

I agree. The last standing adult is gone when Mattis leaves.

 

[AGBF]

This topic was also discussed here:

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...ident-does-a-good-job-for-usa.231444/page-119

I had not seen this discussion when I started this thread. I do think this topic is substantive enough to justify having its own thread, however. I am just sorry I missed seeing some of the posted comments right away.

This tweet from Tom Brokaw was quoted in that thread; I think it is priceless.

"pres trump getting rid of general mattis is like the captain of a sinking ship firing the coast guard. this is a time for all hands to be on deck - whatever their party label - and confront captain queeg, er, president trump

3:25 PM - 20 Dec 2018"

 

[Calliecake]

Trump just could not help himself. Trump announced via Twitter that Mattis is now leaving January 1.

 

[AGBF]

Trump just could not help himself. Trump announced via Twitter that Mattis is now leaving January 1.

So he will be released from hell early!

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

General Mattis says, "I Shall Be Released".

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

OK let me start trouble. I am glad he is withdrawing troops from Syria and Afganistan. I voted for Obama because he said he would bring the troops home. I didn't vote for him the second round because he didn't bring them home. Do you think 2000 men in Syria can justify saying they are insurance for no attacks occurring in the US. Or 7,000 men in Afganistan the same. That will leave 7,000 left there, which he plans to withdraw as well. We have been there 16 yrs, and the Russians were there for many yrs, until the wisely declared victory and left.

Obama fired Jim Mathis(SP) for being too hawkish on Iran, just as he fired Mike Flynn. Generals never want to leave their wars. So, for probably tHe first time, I AM HAPPY Trump IS WITHDRAWING THE SmALL AMOUNT OF TROOPS we have there. Its about time.

Annette

 

[AGBF]

Hi,

OK let me start trouble. I am glad he is withdrawing troops from Syria and Afganistan. I voted for Obama because he said he would bring the troops home. I didn't vote for him the second round because he didn't bring them home. Do you think 2000 men in Syria can justify saying they are insurance for no attacks occurring in the US. Or 7,000 men in Afganistan the same. That will leave 7,000 left there, which he plans to withdraw as well. We have been there 16 yrs, and the Russians were there for many yrs, until the wisely declared victory and left.

Obama fired Jim Mathis(SP) for being too hawkish on Iran, just as he fired Mike Flynn. Generals never want to leave their wars. So, for probably tHe first time, I AM HAPPY Trump IS WITHDRAWING THE SmALL AMOUNT OF TROOPS we have there. Its about time.

In Syria, perhaps about time, but not done well. The Kurds do not deserve this.

 

[Karl_K]

In Syria, perhaps about time, but not done well. The Kurds do not deserve this.

We should have never been there in the first place.
The answer for the best we can do for the Kurds is a diplomatic problem not a military one.
What are we going to do, keep troops there for the next 500 years?

 

[AGBF]

You don't pull the troops, then talk. You talk before you pull the troops! The Kurds are facing a formidable Turkish army that wants to annihilate them. There should be a peace barrier there until the Turks are talked down.

In the Near East sometimes permanent solutions take 500 years, but there are temporary fixes that are accomplished more quickly.

 

[Calliecake]

Our new Secretary of Defense

From the Washington Post:

The former Boeing executive has no military experience, no previous government experience and little experience with foreign policy.

 

[Karl_K]

You don't pull the troops, then talk. You talk before you pull the troops! The Kurds are facing a formidable Turkish army that wants to annihilate them. There should be a peace barrier there until the Turks are talked down.

In the Near East sometimes permanent solutions take 500 years, but there are temporary fixes that are accomplished more quickly.

It is being worked on.
Turkey has already walked back their threat because of the uproar over it.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

The Kurds have been fighting with Turkey for a long time. They, the Kurds were in Northern Iraq where they took care of the oil fields for the Iraqis. Turkey has been their enemy and was a threat to them in the Iraqi war. They are still standing. We shouldn't be there and I don't see where talk would help. Perhaps they too should get out of Syria.

Annette

 

[AGBF]

Well...I had to share this with the readers of this thread. Only Donald Trump could be so thoroughly incompetent as to unite the right and left into opposing his policy in Syria and Afghanistan. Trump is a disaster, a disaster that most of us in the United States and the world did not deserve.

"Dec. 27, 2018

WASHINGTON — President Trump managed to do something remarkable with his abrupt order last week to withdraw all American troops from Syria and half from Afghanistan: unite the left and right against a plan to extract the United States from two long, costly and increasingly futile conflicts.

So chaotic was Mr. Trump’s decision-making process; so transparent his appeal to his political base; and so lacking in a cogent explanation to allies or the public that the president’s move short-circuited a much-needed national debate about the future of America’s wars.

The case for pulling out, military analysts and diplomats said, is stronger in Afghanistan than in Syria, where the United States is abandoning its Kurdish allies, leaving a vacuum that could allow the Islamic State to regroup, and ceding a strategically vital country to Iran and Russia.

Yet even in Afghanistan, where American troops have fought a pitched battle for 17 years, those who believe the United States should get out are not speaking up. With the exception of a few vocal isolationists like Senator Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican, Mr. Trump’s handling of the issue has been condemned across the ideological spectrum."

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/us/politics/trump-syria-afghanistan-withdraw.html

 

[GliderPoss]

I’m confused, swear everyone wanted out of the Middle East then Trump makes good on his promise and you don’t like it?

I can tell you from someone who has been there & done that, we could be there a lifetime and it will NOT change a damn thing....

 

[Dancing Fire]

I’m confused, swear everyone wanted out of the Middle East then Trump makes good on his promise and you don’t like it?

I can tell you from someone who has been there & done that, we could be there a lifetime and it will NOT change a damn thing....

Of course not b/c Trump is the Prez. now. When Obama did the same you didn't hear the left complaining about it. Same with the wall... .