Saint Mattis, General USMC to become SecDef?

Thanks to Len/others that pointed this out!

via The Daily Beast.

The retired 4-star Marine Corps general who memorably said “it’s fun to shoot some people” is a leading candidate to become Team Trump’s Secretary of Defense.

Teams of lawyers on Capitol Hill wrestled on Friday with how to allow retired 4-star Marine General James “Mad Dog” Mattis, 66, to take up the post, ahead of his scheduled meeting with President Elect Donald Trump in New York on Saturday. Mattis would add to a cabinet of national security super-hawks and signal a return to a more aggressive defense of U.S. interests abroad.

“I’m a great admirer of Gen. Mattis,” said Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain with a grin, refusing to confirm that the blunt-speaking general is in the running, but warmly endorsing the idea.


“I think one of the reasons why it would be good to have him is that he has recent combat experience in both theaters (Iraq and Afghanistan). So he really understands complex situations on the ground,” McCain told The Daily Beast, on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum. McCain’s committee must confirm roughly 50+ defense-related posts for the new administration, chief among them the defense secretary.

If you've been following this blog long enough you know why this news doesn't exactly send me giggling like a schoolgirl.  Additionally do you guys think I live under a rock?  How could I not hear about this?


Forgetting all that.

How did the "internet" pick Mattis to become the end all, be all Marine General?  I mean seriously!  Think about it!  Remember all those Chuck Norris memes we've seen?  Where did that come from?  How did that become a thing?  Of all the "action heroes" that we've seen over the years, why did Chuck become that guy?

Same kinda applies to Mattis.  Do you know his views on policy?  Do you know how he views the war in Syria?  How he views future warfare? What's his take on the F-35?  Does he want to rid the DoD of waste, fraud and abuse?  How does he view women in the Infantry?  What about transgenders?

I do and I'm a bit alarmed.  

He might be Saint Mattis to you but I remember Amos practically hiding behind his skirt while he was pushing some of the changes that I feel are weakening the Corps.  Everytime Amos would run into resistance he would bring out a statement of how he's consulted with Mattis and that they're on the same page.

Note that all of the above doesn't even touch on my biggest issue....but be that as it may.  You can cheer.  I'll be waiting and watching.