Trump will appoint a general nicknamed "Mad Dog" to head the Pentagon. Mattis "Mad Dog" to become U.S. Secretary of Defense General James Mattis Mad Dog

If it seemed to someone that after the victory, Trump would recruit a team of like-minded people and begin to implement a revolution in US foreign policy, then he simply does not know American realities. Appointing an elected king's entourage is an extremely complex and multifaceted process, and the king cannot afford to give the main posts only to whom he wants (like National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions). Sometimes it is necessary to appoint those who are necessary to responsible positions.

Firstly, the favorites of the party establishment, so that the same Republicans do not sabotage Trump's policy in Congress. It is no coincidence that the process of appointing the Secretary of State has dragged on so long - the establishment is moving its man Mitt Romney to this position, while the Trump team, and the elected president himself (whose campaign Romney openly sabotaged) are opposed. Secondly, people with different views and approaches to solving existing problems should always be present in the administration. Discussions within the administration (unless, of course, they spill over into the open) positively influence the decision-making process, as they illuminate all facets of the problem and allow the president to hear different points of view before choosing the right option. General Mattis, whom Trump wants to appoint to the position of Secretary of Defense, is in accordance with the principle of appointing "who is needed." He enjoys great prestige in the Republican establishment and is ready to oppose the president.

In general, it is difficult not to be an authoritative military man with such a track record as a general. General Mattis served 40 years in the Marine Corps, devoting his whole life to the Corps, including his personal one (he never started a family). The general worked on the ground - he commanded the Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq - and in the headquarters (occupying senior positions in NATO and the Pentagon). Among his subordinates, he received the nickname "Mad Dog" for his politically incorrect statements. For example, he opposed the release of Guantanamo prisoners, arguing that "if you are captured, you must remain there until the end of the war."

Scientist Warrior

However, James Mattis's military views are held in high esteem (not only in terms of a return to refusing to accept transgender and openly gay men in the military, but also in the field of military strategy), and the general is highly respected in the Department of Defense. After all, Mad Dog can not only kill (“shooting people is so fun,” he once said), but also think. Thus, the general stands for keeping the Iranian nuclear deal in force. Yes, he argues that this deal only slowed down the implementation of Iranian nuclear ambitions, and did not eliminate them, but he is inclined to believe that “without a clear ongoing violation of the deal” by Iran, the Americans should not denounce it unilaterally. Simply because, in his opinion, in this situation, the allies are unlikely to support new sanctions against the Islamic Republic, and without allies, these sanctions will not have much impact on the situation.

“He is a warrior, a scientist and shoots straight at the target - both figuratively and literally. He tells the truth to everyone and will not dissemble his new commander in chief,” writes The Washington Post. Conservative politicians are of the same opinion. "General Mattis will be an excellent leader of the Department of Defense, and President-elect Trump will find his advice invaluable," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has no particular fondness for Trump.

Even the liberal media, predicting Trumpocalypse for America, are pleased with the potential Secretary of Defense. "General Mattis could be the voice of reason in a White House that has fallen dangerously under the control of an ignorant president with little interest in alternative viewpoints," The New York Times wrote in an editorial.

For them all, Mattis is the epitome of "traditional America" ​​and an important stopper for Trump's "crazy neo-isolationist" plans. So, Mattis stands for the preservation of American "leadership" in the world. “The international order requires America to look after it. America, which wisely leads the rest, stands firmly for the freedoms that we, sitting in this room, share, ”the general said during one of his congressional hearings.

General is not here

There are, of course, those who are dissatisfied. In the United States, there is a tradition that a civilian should be at the head of the Pentagon. Since the Second World War, only once has a general headed the Department of Defense - George Marshall in 1950-1951. And for this he received special permission from Congress (according to the law, a retired officer can head the Pentagon only 7 years after leaving the service). James Mattis, who retired only in 2013, also needs such permission, and some members of the Senate have already spoken out against it. Among them, in particular, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (leader of the Democratic group of senators in the subcommittee on personnel of the Senate Armed Services Committee). “I have great respect for the merits of General Mattis, however I do not support his appointment. Civilian control of the military is a core tenet of American democracy, and I will not vote for an exception to that rule,” she said.

However, with a high degree of probability, we can say that Mad Dog will still lead the Pentagon. The US hopes that one of his favorite phrases - "You are part of the most feared and most trusted forces in the world, so turn on your brains before you take up arms" will become the leitmotif of the US military under the Trump administration.

Retired Marine James Mattis, nicknamed Mad Dog, will be appointed head of the Pentagon. The eccentric general, who said he enjoyed killing, is known for a number of successful operations in the Middle East. To approve a new secretary of defense, Congress will even have to change the law. But Trump doesn't mind. The day before, he promised to break another long-standing tradition of Washington - to overthrow foreign regimes.

Donald Trump is as far from the notorious political correctness as from the top of his tower in Manhattan to one-story Ohio State America, where he gathered supporters for the first big rally after the victory. But those who voted for the 45th president like that he speaks the same language with them.

"We're going to appoint Mad Dog Mattis as our secretary of defense," America's president-elect says. "But we won't officially announce it until Monday, so don't tell anyone. Mathis is great, great!"

The new head of the Pentagon, who became the 13th member of his administration appointed by Trump, received his nickname for his uncompromising attitude towards Islamic extremists. Four-star Marine General Mattis has served in the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan, where he even tried to hunt for Bin Laden. The Marines of his Task Force 58 tracked "terrorist number 1" in the dungeons of Tora Bora, but they never tracked down, which, however, did not prevent their commander from becoming famous. The mad dog has repeatedly proved that it can not only bite painfully, but also bark loudly.

"It's quite funny to shoot them, you know. It's damn cool," James Mattis admitted. "It's funny to shoot some people."

For such words, spoken after his return from an Afghan business trip, Matisse was reprimanded by the authorities, and the press hastily called him a psychopathic killer. At the same time, the general himself has repeatedly stated that he is an opponent of torture. In particular, water, which was so loved to practice in the secret prisons of the CIA.

Mad Dog has a peculiar attitude towards Russia. Unlike Trump's new national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was put on the pro-Russian list, the Marine General called the events in Ukraine, for example, Moscow's aggression. In general, Trump has to balance.

“We will develop a new foreign policy,” says Donald Trump. “And, finally, we will begin to learn from the mistakes of the past. We will stop trying to stage coups and overthrow governments.”

Trump could have problems with Mattis. He retired only three years ago, and according to the law, the Pentagon can be led either by a civilian or by someone who has left military service for seven years. The exception happened only once. In 1950 it was made for General Marshall. However, under Trump, a lot has changed. For example, the American television channel C-SPAN, created to show government broadcasts shortly before the speech of the billionaire in Cincinnati, aired the Federal Assembly.

Other shocking changes in foreign policy for the American establishment are recorded by the New York Times. Trump promised to visit Pakistan, where Obama has never visited in two terms. And even, violating diplomatic protocol, he invited the leader of the British Independence Party, Nigel Farage, who advocates a sharp anti-immigration policy, to become the ambassador of the United Kingdom to the United States. In response, the White House timidly called Trump to order, but he already sets the rules himself.

The US foreign policy vector under Trump will clarify the appointment of the Secretary of State. The intrigue persists and even twists. To the candidacies of Mitt Romney, the former mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani and the former head of the CIA David Petraeus, one more has been added: the president of the oil corporation Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson, is now being called a possible head of the State Department.

Image copyright AP Image caption During his service, Mattis was also called the "warrior monk" as he never married and has no children.

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan in case you have to kill anyone you meet."

This is what General James Mattis, now Donald Trump, advised the Marines in Iraq in 2003.

General Mattis, nicknamed "Mad Dog", is famous not only for his tough approach to America's enemies, but also for his colorful language.

The words of the 66-year-old retired general are lovingly collected by veterans under the hashtag #mattisisms. The veterans have great respect for both his directness and his style of command, which he has repeatedly demonstrated on the battlefield.

In November, after his meeting with General Mattis, who served 44 years in the Marine Corps, Donald Trump called him a real man and a true general of generals.

"Fighting Monk"

During his service, Mattis was also referred to as a "combat monk" as he never married and had no children.

In 2013, Mattis stepped down as head of US Central Command, which is responsible for planning and managing US military operations in the Middle East.

The general has been a vocal critic of President Barack Obama's administration's policies in the Middle East, especially with regard to Iran.

According to him, Iran is the most serious threat to stability and peace in the Middle East.

Prior to taking over Central Command in 2010, Gen. Mattis served as head of the U.S. Interservices Command and also led NATO's Joint Transformation Command.

That's what Mattis said

1. "I don't lose sleep worrying about the possibility of failure. I don't even know how the word is spelled."
2. "The first time you knock someone down, it's not a minor event. But at the same time, there are freaks in the world who just need to be shot."
3. "I came to you in peace. I don't have artillery with me. But I beg you with tears in my eyes: don't even try to fuck me, otherwise I'll have to kill you all."
4. "The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears."
5. "There's nothing better than being shot at and missed. It's an amazing feeling."
6. "I beg you - do not put a spoke in our wheels. Because if you do this, then those who manage to survive will write about what we have done here for another 10 thousand years."

(Source(San Diego Union Tribune)

"I love goodth mess"

James Mattis commanded an airborne assault battalion during the first Gulf War in 1991 and a task force in Afghanistan in 2001.

He also led a Marine division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and played an important role during the Battle of Fallujah.

General Mattis also wrote a counter-insurgency manual. Thanks in large part to this aid, the number of sectarian clashes in Iraq decreased until the withdrawal of US troops in December 2011.

However, his habit of not going into his pocket for a word and speaking bluntly caused both admiration and serious criticism of him.

In 2005, General Mattis came under fire for his speech to military personnel at the San Diego base.

"It's fun to shoot some people," he said then. "I'll tell you frankly - I love a good mess."

"You go to Afghanistan - there are guys who beat women for five years for not wearing a veil. I'll tell you this - there is nothing manly about these guys. So shooting at them is a damn funny thing," the general continued.

A spokesman for the US Marine Corps said the general was interviewed afterwards and that he agreed that he should choose his words more carefully.

According to American law, an officer can take the post of Secretary of Defense only seven years after his retirement.

General Mattis retired just three years ago, and, accordingly, in order to head the Pentagon, he will need official permission from the US Congress.

If his candidacy is approved by the Senate, he will become only the second retired general in American history to lead the Department of Defense.

Reaction in Russia

Head of the Center for Military Forecasting, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Military Sciences Anatoly Tsyganok believes that Russia has something to worry about in connection with the nomination of James Mattis for the post of head of the Pentagon

In this regard, Tsyganok mentioned the well-known parable about the "good and bad policemen."

The expert considers the future head of the CIA, Mike Pompeo, chosen by Trump, to be a "good cop", "who kept saying that it would be inconvenient to fight ISIS without the help of Russia."

“And a bad policeman is the future head of the Pentagon, moreover, he was very tough not only on Russia - he also has the nickname Mad Dog,” Tsyganok said in an interview with the BBC Russian Service.

The expert, recalling Trump's words that "he was supported by 88 retired generals," concluded: "This suggests that he found some kind of common language with them."

Anatoly Tsyganok noted that "if the Soviet Union was still to some extent comparable to the United States in terms of potential," now the situation is different for Russia in terms of the balance of power with the United States.

“We have about six times fewer submarines than the Americans. It is clear that we and the Americans have enough space capabilities. But a significant imbalance in submarines speaks volumes, because submarines solve the main problem,” the expert noted.

And political scientist Alexander Khramchikhin, on the contrary, believes that there is no point in worrying about a new appointment: "Simply because it is not the defense ministers who make decisions, but the presidents."

According to the political scientist, Trump's statements about the policy towards the US military do not give grounds for Russia to worry: "Now, if Clinton came, it would alarm me."

Khramchikhin believes that Trump's statements about increasing military spending should be considered "some kind of economic move, not a military-political one."

"In fact, this is an extremely useful thing from any point of view," the political scientist believes.

"The potential of the Americans is already great - at the moment this is not a problem. Because the Russian armed forces now, even without the use of nuclear weapons, conventional forces can inflict unacceptable losses on the American armed forces. Therefore, at the moment I see no reason to worry," concluded Khramchikhin in an interview with the BBC Russian Service.

"55213"

US President-elect Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Cincinnati on December 1, announced his intention to nominate retired General James Mattis for the post of Secretary of Defense. Trump likened the 66-year-old retired four-star Marine Corps general to famed World War II American military commander General George S. Patton and promised to formally nominate Mattis for head of the Pentagon on Monday, Dec. 5.

With his choice, Trump once again risked going against established traditions in America. Mattis's approval would require Congress to circumvent federal law that a candidate for secretary of defense must not have been on active duty for the past seven years. The only precedent in US history that violated this requirement was when, in 1950, Congress approved the candidacy of General George C. Marshall.

In 1994, US President Bill Clinton proposed retired Admiral Bobby Inman for the post of Secretary of Defense, but his candidacy was eventually withdrawn due to inconsistency with this requirement. A similar scenario is not ruled out for Mattis.

Immediately after Trump announced his decision, Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of the Senate Armed Services Committee's Personnel Subcommittee said he would oppose Mattis' confirmation as secretary of defense.

Congressman Adam Schiff believes that Mattis' confirmation will be a problem, but the general has a chance to overcome the limitations of the law and become the second exception to the general rule. Schiff said Mattis' reputation is so strong that Democrats may agree to change the current law.

Trump's nominee is known in the US as one of the most influential military leaders of his generation. Mattis has been described as a strategist who can be rebuked for being overly aggressive at times, earning him the nickname Mad Dog. That's what Trump called him when he announced his decision.

The American media today quotes him as saying about the war in Afghanistan in 2005: “Fighting is actually a lot of fun. You know, it's fucking great. It's funny to shoot some people. I'll be honest with you, I like to fight."

Mattis has another nickname: Warrior Monk. So his colleagues call him for his fanatical devotion to military service. Mattis was not married, was always ready to replace a comrade on duty on Christmas Eve, was always next to his subordinates in combat operations. Retired Lieutenant General Mick Bednarek describes Mattis as follows: “His devotion is unparalleled. He is married to the nation."

At the same time, the candidacy of the legendary general of the Marine Corps does not seem convincing to everyone. There is an opinion that his directness and thinking, narrowly focused on the conduct of hostilities, are not as necessary as the secretary of defense as the experience of political activity: they say, you can’t lead the Pentagon like the First Marine Division.

However, retired Admiral William Fallon, who was Mattis' commander at the start of the Iraq War, has a different view. Mattis is "that's what's really needed right now...Jim has the understanding that you need to have a good political background before you dig trenches," Fallon says.

The nomination of Mattis to a key position in the new team of the president-elect also gave reason to say that Trump, like no other US president, surrounds himself with retired generals. There is already a former head of military intelligence in his inner circle, who has been appointed national security adviser. Trump is considering retired Army General David Petraeus for Secretary of State, and retired Marine General John Kelly for Secretary of State or Homeland Security. And a CIA graduate who graduated from West Point and served as an army officer can become the director of the CIA. “Trump surrounds himself with generals. It's dangerous," he says. The Washington Post.

Inc. corr. FSK

If you notice a mistake in the text, highlight it and press Ctrl+Enter to send the information to the editor.

On December 2, 2016, Donald Trump firmly confirmed the announcement made earlier in American publications about the appointment of an ardent opponent of Russia, retired Marine Corps General James Mattis, to the post of Minister of Defense of the country.

The future head of the Pentagon is 66 years old. Mattis has been active in the Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. His last place of service was the US Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East and Central Asia. He held this post in 2010-2013.

James served in the US military for 44 years. Among the US military, he has the status of a living legend. According to a poll conducted by The Military Times in May 2016, more than half of the US military wanted Mattis to take part in the US presidential campaign.

Mattis, nicknamed "Mad Dog" for admitting that he loves to fight, was a brilliant Marine commander during the wars in the East.

From Mattis' letters to the Marines:

"Use your brain before you use a weapon";

“No war is over until the enemy himself declares it. We can consider that the war is over, we can even declare it, but in fact, our enemy has a voice in this matter”;

“I came in peace. I have no artillery. And I urge you, with tears in my eyes: If you hook me, I will kill you all to one ”;

“I urge you, do not cross our path. Because if you do that, those who survive will be talking about what we will do here for another 10,000 years”;

“In Afghanistan, we are confronted by guys who for 5 years beat women for not wearing a veil. You know, these guys obviously have no courage left. So shooting them as hell is fun. To put it bluntly, they are fun to fight. Shooting these people is fun. And I will be by your side. I like to fight."

Mattis's second nickname is "Warrior Monk". James has no family or children, a staunch ascetic who has devoted his life to the army, books and protecting the interests of his subordinates. He likes to personally participate in battles, inspiring fighters with his example. He is the developer of most of the successful operations carried out by US Marines. Author of the Mattis Doctrine. "He (Mattis) is known as one of the most influential military leaders of his generation, serving as a strategic thinker who is sometimes rebuked for his aggressive language," writes the Washington Post.

The Washington Post reports that Mattis is highly respected in the Pentagon: “He is a warrior, a scientist and a very straightforward person ... he tells the truth to everyone and will definitely tell the truth to the new supreme commander,” said a senior defense official.

Mattis mercilessly criticized Obama for insufficient military support for allies, said that America was suffering from "strategic atrophy" and called Russia "the aggressor that occupied Ukraine in Crimea and the Donbass." He also pointed out that the purpose of Putin's actions is to split NATO.

“I consider Russia’s actions in Ukraine to be the most dangerous situation with a crisis potential for the entire region… There is a war going on in Crimea and Ukraine… In my opinion, the problem is not so much in Putin, but in Russia in general. They say that as soon as Putin leaves, things will get better in the Russian Federation. I think these are dreams,” Mattis said in May 2015 during a speech at The Heritage Foundation positive. She wants to guarantee security for herself by sowing instability around, ”said Mattis, constantly showing excessive belligerence and obvious Russophobia.

And Donald Trump, after meeting with the ex-general in New Jersey, said that Mattis was "great" - "this is what we need," adding that Mattis is "a wonderful person who has made a brilliant career."

Under current regulations, a person who retired from active duty less than seven years ago cannot be a US Secretary of Defense. Mattis ended his military career in 2013.

Ministerial nominations must be approved by the Senate. However, in the case of Mattis, additional permission from the Upper House of Congress is required. No problems are expected with this, since both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress, following the results of the November 8 general elections in the United States, remained under the control of the Republican Party, of which Trump is a member.

I remember that the deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation greeted the news of Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election with a storm of applause, and political scientists and experts greeted this news with extraordinary rejoicing.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky proclaimed at a banquet specially arranged then on the occasion of Trump's victory in the Russian parliament a toast "to the new domestic and foreign policy of the United States and the improvement of relations with Russia."

However, it is clear that Vladimir Volfovich rejoiced early ...

Valery Filimonov, Russian writer