[Peace-discuss] They found someone crazier than McChrystal

[C. G. Estabrook]

	Antiwar.com Blog
	New CentCom Commander: It’s ‘fun to shoot some people’
	Posted: 08 Jul 2010 11:24 AM PDT

General James Mattis was just nominated to fill the post of CentCom commander, 
has his own history of speaking out to the media.

In 2005, Marine Corps General Mattis spoke of the fun he experienced in Afghanistan:

“Actually it’s quite fun to fight them, you know. It’s a hell of a hoot,” Mattis 
said, prompting laughter from some military members in the audience. “It’s fun 
to shoot some people. I’ll be right up there with you. I like brawling.

“You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years 
because they didn’t wear a veil,” Mattis said. “You know, guys like that ain’t 
got no manhood left anyway. So it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them.”

His boss, Marine Corps commandant General Michael Hagee said Mattis should have 
chosen his words more carefully, but defended him, calling him “one of this 
country’s bravest and most experienced military leaders.”:

“Lt. Gen. Mattis often speaks with a great deal of candor.”

“Throughout our history, Marines have given their lives in the defense of this 
nation and human rights around the globe,” Hagee’s statement read. “When 
necessary, this commitment helps to provide us the fortitude to take the lives 
of those who oppress others or threaten this nation’s security. This is not 
something we relish, yet we accept it as a reality in our profession of arms.”

Added Marine Gen. Peter Pace, then-vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
“The last three times that that general has been in combat, when he was leading 
Marines in Afghanistan and the two times that he led his division in Iraq, his 
actions and those of his troops clearly show that he understands the value of 
proper leadership and the value of human life.”

This is one more illustration of why civilians, and not the military, need to be 
in charge of our defense and foreign policy decisions.

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