Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who resigned at the end of last year:
Nations with allies thrive, and those without them wither. Alone, America cannot protect our people and our economy. At this time, we can see storm clouds gathering. A polemicist’s role is not sufficient for a leader. . . .
What concerns me most as a military man is not our external adversaries; it is our internal divisiveness. We are dividing into hostile tribes cheering against each other, fueled by emotion and a mutual disdain that jeopardizes our future. . . .
All Americans need to recognize that our democracy is an experiment—and one that can be reversed. We all know that we’re better than our current politics. Tribalism must not be allowed to destroy our experiment.
According to Wikipedia,
Mattis was raised in a bookish household that did not own a television. . . . During his service years, Mattis was considered an "intellectual" among the upper ranks. . . . He is noted for his interest in the study of military history and world history, with a personal library that once included over 7,000 volumes, and a penchant for publishing required reading lists for Marines under his command. He required his Marines to be well-read in the culture and history of regions where they were deployed, and had his Marines deploying to Iraq undergo "cultural sensitivity training."A devout Catholic, Mattis has never been married.
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2 comments:
The appointment of Mattis as Secretary of Defense was not without controversy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-has-chosen-retired-marine-gen-james-mattis-for-secretary-of-defense/2016/12/01/6c6b3b74-aff9-11e6-be1c-8cec35b1ad25_story.html
Mattis agreed to work for this president and agreed with, supported or tacitly approved the policies (e.g. the Muslim Ban) of this president and only now has come to speak up in opposition to the president. Despite his otherwise noteworthy career, I can give him only faint praise.
I would want to know if he opposes not only the president but the draconian and regressive republican platform.
I have no idea about all that, Frank. But at the start of the Fake Presidency, I seem to recall there were 3 or 4 sane and sensible men of experience like Mattis, and off the top of my head Sec. of State Rex Tillerson, who were the adults in the Oval Office, keeping the demented man-child from going completely berserk.
Now, I'm not sure any of them are left. Scary thought, for obvious reasons.
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