He didn't last very long but, while he did, former defense secretary, Marine general James Mattis, was considered to be the sane, calm voice inside the Trump administration. Now Mattis has penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal critical of Trump's 'wrecking ball' divisiveness, domestically and among America's vital allies.
An oft-spoken admonition in the Marines is this: When you’re going to a gunfight, bring all your friends with guns. Having fought many times in coalitions, I believe that we need every ally we can bring to the fight. From imaginative military solutions to their country’s vote in the U.N., the more allies the better. I have never been on a crowded battlefield, and there is always room for those who want to be there alongside us.
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. A leader must display strategic acumen that incorporates respect for those nations that have stood with us when trouble loomed. Returning to a strategic stance that includes the interests of as many nations as we can make common cause with, we can better deal with this imperfect world we occupy together. Absent this, we will occupy an increasingly lonely position, one that puts us at increasing risk in the world.
...Unlike in the past, where we were unified and drew in allies, currently our own commons seems to be breaking apart. 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, instead of rediscovering our common ground and finding solutions.
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.
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Coincidentally, Mattis has a book coming out next week. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/28/james-mattis-call-sign-chaos-trump-memoir-book
jump
Interesting, thanks Jump.
.. one for Mound ..
I thought this one up.. thought it over.. as a sci fi novella.. A 'what if'
A mischievous creature named Fate was able to tune in to the thoughts or wishes of every person on the planet. One fine day she tuned into a woman on the west coast, who's husband had just left harbour a week ago.. skipper of a boomer. Probably 4 months undersea.. but of course he could not confide his patrol orders. He was a good man, a fine man, hell he commanded a nuclear crew and ship.. one that could incinerate a continent
She wished that a scumbag like Donald Trump could try to be who her husband was.. or rather, bear that responsibility.. instead of golfing and running ludicrous 'rallies' and her husband, who was without question, far more qualified could skipper The White House.. and look after the nation... It was a whimsical thought.. but Fate (with a grin) grabbed that thought by the ear and summoning her immense powers.. made it so
Holy Hell !
By some astonishing trickery, she wrapped both in her magical saran wrap.. and Trump was aboard, the nuke skipper was in The White House. Fate was kindly, being millioms lf year old.. and an old hand.. so she ensured the skippers wife and family were invited to Washington.. Trump got little kindliness.. and simply had orders for being aboard USS Barack Obama
Now I won't unfold the tale.. in fact I won't even write it yet.. I don't even know it yet.. its a 'scenario' only.. and just a beginning. But which do you think might succeed & which do you think will be a staggering failure.. ??? Fate in all her mischieviousness will not allow full comprehension or aspects memory to either.. has simple pulled a magical switch.. forced a potential.. and made a wish come true.. with all the fixens !
My point or moral of the story is - there are so many stellar people out there.. yet America puked up a Supreme Commander unqualified to even be able seaman aboard a towed barge on a jerkwater basin collecting scrap metal. Tells me everything I need to know.. and do know of the United States currently.. its diseased
Some speculate that a sizeable segment of the American population have entered some kind of mass psychosis. Watch a Trump rally and that's not hard to believe. The image of Trump close wrapped in cling film from the top of his head to his shoulders is appealing.
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