Trump picks "Mad Dog" Mattis for Secretary of Defense

Although his point of view is alarming, presenting what is needed to win and then leave...no nation building... is clarifying. For instance, sneaking mercenaries into Ukraine or Syria to start a war would probably not pass Mad Dogs criteria for war.

originally posted by: suvorov
Patton and Mattis are good people but brutes are not creative in strategies all they know is force. To defeat guarrila armies you need a brain.

Both men were/are quite well educated and literate. Mattis is quite the historian.

originally posted by: AnkhMorpork
a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Led the massacre in Fallujah (killed everone in sight, used white phosphorous) and said that killing people is fun.

Not the right guy, imo.

Unless you want people killed.

I kinda want the army to be good at killing people, using ridiculous and overpowering force topped off with disproportionate violence to end the fight as swiftly as possible and with the least casualties on our side as possible, all the while making it abundantly clear to everyone else watching that we will skullf**k you to death if you cross us.

Who they kill is a matter for the politicians to decide. If the politicians don't have the stomach for it, they can send some hippies to spread love and cuddles instead.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: suvorov
Patton and Mattis are good people but brutes are not creative in strategies all they know is force. To defeat guarrila armies you need a brain.

Both men were/are quite well educated and literate. Mattis is quite the historian.

Right !! Historian for sure seeing he has a personal library of over 7000 books ..

and keeps memoirs of Marcus Aurelius by his side ...

pretty much like the self ... historian of the Roman empire Patton..

originally posted by: Shamrock6

originally posted by: projectvxn

originally posted by: charolais

originally posted by: projectvxn
a reply to: Annee

How so?

The purpose of the military is to kill people and break stuff.

We were never in the business of making people feel good.

Actually the purpose of the military is to uphold & defend the Constitution and provide for the common defense, under the complete discretion of Congress (i.e. the people). Its in Article 1 Section 8.

I'm well aware of the constitutional requirements of the military.

But that doesn't describe WHAT the military DOES.

Weird that the snarky comment came in response to your comment, rather than my "military isn't for passing out Thighmasters after a tsunami" comment. Entirely coincidental, I'm sure.

Wasn't trying to be snarky, just late at night and didn't put enough effort into explaining myself. But yes after 13 pages it was coincidental

originally posted by: projectvxn

originally posted by: charolais

originally posted by: projectvxn
a reply to: Annee

How so?

The purpose of the military is to kill people and break stuff.

We were never in the business of making people feel good.

Actually the purpose of the military is to uphold & defend the Constitution and provide for the common defense, under the complete discretion of Congress (i.e. the people). Its in Article 1 Section 8.

I'm well aware of the constitutional requirements of the military.

But that doesn't describe WHAT the military DOES.

I agree completely, I'm just saying we shouldn't get too caught up in the moment and forget what the designed intent was. That's all.

I think appointing Mattis is a perfect example of getting tied up in emotions.

The last time congress went around the 7 year law (used to be 10 years prior to 2008) was in 1950 and they made a clear statement that after this 1 time the rule would never be violated again.

a reply to: charolais

It's ATS. Nothing is ever a coincidence here, didn't you know?

originally posted by: suvorov
Patton and Mattis are good people but brutes are not creative in strategies all they know is force. To defeat guarrila armies you need a brain.

LOL what?

What are you 13?

You apparently do NOT know your military history and have not read up on Mattis at all

originally posted by: suvorov
Patton and Mattis are good people but brutes are not creative in strategies all they know is force. To defeat guarrila armies you need a brain.

Mattis was instrumental in building the COIN concept.

The problem with COIN is that it only works if you're willing to commit to it for a long period of time.

Nation building is expensive and dangerous.

originally posted by: projectvxn

originally posted by: suvorov
Patton and Mattis are good people but brutes are not creative in strategies all they know is force. To defeat guarrila armies you need a brain.

Nation building is expensive and dangerous.

And...Does not work.

We like to pretend we rebuilt post-war Germany...but really they rebuilt themselves with our money...and even then we only got love from half the country and East Germany went to the Russians.

I strongly believe Nation Building should never be part of strategy and is not suited for the military. The military should have clear military objectives and mission...get in..get the job done...get out..keep it clean. I am still of the mind-set we should have pulled out of Iraq the day Saddam Hussein was executed. That was mission accomplished. If we need to rinse and repeat a decade later...so be it..but occupation and nation building is not a good idea.

originally posted by: Indigo5
And...Does not work.

We like to pretend we rebuilt post-war Germany...but really they rebuilt themselves with our money...and even then we only got love from half the country and East Germany went to the Russians.

I strongly believe Nation Building should never be part of strategy and is not suited for the military. The military should have clear military objectives and mission...get in..get the job done...get out..keep it clean. I am still of the mind-set we should have pulled out of Iraq the day Saddam Hussein was executed. That was mission accomplished. If we need to rinse and repeat a decade later...so be it..but occupation and nation building is not a good idea.

Nation building can work, it's not going to work for the US though, which can't maintain a consistent political will for more than 8 or at best 12 years. Nation building is the sort of process that takes generations.

You realize when Mattis runs for president next year, the campaign will be "Mad Dog 2020"?

a reply to: Bedlam

Mattis is quite possibly the only decent human in Trump's cabinet.