Patterico's Pontifications

12/20/2018

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis To Step Down

Filed under: General — Dana @ 4:02 pm



[guest post by Dana]

Coming on the heels of his announcement that the U.S. will be pulling out of Syria, President Trump tweeted today that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will be stepping down:

General Jim Mattis will be retiring, with distinction, at the end of February, after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years. During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting….

…equipment. General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!

In his letter of resignation, Mattis made clear that he no longer shared the same views with the president on certain matters. In part:

One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships. While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies. Like you, I have said from the beginning that the armed forces of the United States should not be the policeman of the world. Instead, we must use all tools of American power to provide for the common defense, including providing effective leadership to our alliances. NATO’s 29 democracies demonstrated that strength in their commitment to fighting alongside us following the 9-11 attack on America. The Defeat-ISIS coalition of 74 nations is further proof.

Similarly, I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours. It is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model—gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions—to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies. That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense.

My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues. We must do everything possible to advance an international order that is most conducive to our security, prosperity and values, and we are strengthened in this effort by the solidarity of our alliances.

Because you have the right to a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position. The end date for my tenure is February 28, 2019, a date that should allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed as well as to make sure the Department’s interests are properly articulated and protected at upcoming events to include Congressional posture hearings and the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in February. Further, that a full transition to a new Secretary of Defense occurs well in advance of the transition of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in September in order to ensure stability within the Department.

The timing of his resignation would suggest that his departure is in response to the announcement concerning Syria. A decision which Mattis is not in agreement with, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham. Graham spoke to CNN’s Kate Bolduan about the issue today:

“Secretary Mattis is firmly in the camp of the job in Syria is not yet done. That abandoning the Kurds now will hurt us down the road,” Graham told Bolduan, adding, “That ISIS could and probably will come back. And I think that’s the universal view of both [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo and Mattis.”

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

123 Responses to “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis To Step Down”

  1. While Mattis is not happy about the Syria matter, you know who is?

    President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Thursday hailed the decision by President Trump to withdraw United States forces from Syria, calling it “correct” because the American troops were not needed.

    Mr. Putin’s praise came a day after Mr. Trump said he was ordering the withdrawal because the United States military had achieved its goal of defeating the Islamic State militant group in Syria. Given the unfinished business on the ground in Syria, however, the move was a surprise to many, including some senior presidential military and diplomatic advisers in Washington.

    The decision has been criticized, even among Republicans, as abandoning Kurdish allies in the face of a hostile Turkey and a still dangerous Islamic State, as well as leaving Syria open territory for the geopolitical ambitions of Russia and Iran.

    Mr. Putin’s response came during his annual news conference, a marathon, four-hour affair during which he suggested several times that Mr. Trump was being thwarted by those who did not accept his victory as president.

    Dana (023079)

  2. Recall the words of Bismarck: “The whole of the Balkans is not worth the bones of a single Pomeranian grenadier.”

    Similarly, the whole of the Middle East is not worth the bones of a single American farmboy.

    No more wars to “civilize” these sandpits. We’ve spent enough blood and treasure as it is.

    bates (dddb3b)

  3. 17 years after our first operations in Afghanistan, the Taliban controls at least half the country, so tell me a strategy.

    narciso (d1f714)

  4. @3. The strategy; perpetual conflict is good bu$ine$$.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  5. The procurers of war.

    nk (dbc370)

  6. “The whole of the Balkans is not worth the bones of a single Pomeranian grenadier.”

    The “They’ll come for us last” strategy.

    Kevin M (cb624b)

  7. It was Trump who no longer agreed with MAttis – or most every Republican.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  8. Turn out the lights, the party’s over.

    Kevin M (cb624b)

  9. he was such a bad fit for the job

    if he’s sick of the military and wants a real job he’d be great doing other stuff like logistics

    i bet fedex would hire him

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  10. but take some time for you first

    get a tan meet some nice guys on the grinder

    keep calm

    chive on

    live your best life

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  11. Mattis didn’t see eye to eye with Trump on suspending military exercises with South Korea, sending active duty troops to the southern border and pulling troops out of Syria. How many times can you say it’s not in the best interest of the U.S. to do X and the president does X anyway? After a while, what’s the point?

    Dana (023079)

  12. jimmy was also a HUGE climate change pansy and he polluted the whole military with this nonsense

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  13. he was such a bad fit for the job

    Every person President Trump places in a very powerful and important job turns out to be bad fit.

    It’s a very remarkable coincidence, isn’t it?

    Don’t we need some accountability from the person making all these terrible personnel decisions, footsies?

    Dave (1bb933)

  14. After a while, what’s the point?

    He should have done us all a favor and ordered the Code Red.

    Dave (1bb933)

  15. he was a deep state snot-hole who thought he knew better but his gold-plated joke military not only can’t win a war they cry like little girls when they get captured! (there’s a statue of them in iran)

    seriously if our pathetic military is ever gonna turn it around pansy-trash like jimmy mattis isn’t gonna get the job done

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  16. Is there any Republican brave enough to challenge Trump in 2020?
    Or are they all a bunch of [insert happyfeet invectives here]?

    kaf (0ff60d)

  17. President Trump is a victorious leader who single-handedly rescued a whole battalion of hapless tatters from the treacherous badlands of syria

    oh there’s such rejoicing this christmas!

    it’s like people have been given a second chance at life

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  18. alls i’m saying is that when you keep getting terrible appointed to important jobs, maybe he should let pence do the job instead

    Preibus
    Kelly
    Flynn
    McMaster
    McFarland
    Spicer
    Scaramucci
    Cohn
    Omarosa
    Mattis
    Price
    Zinke
    Sessions
    Tillerson
    Wray
    Rosenstein

    that is a pretty epic record of failure right there, and they were all appointed by one man

    Dave (1bb933)

  19. ha i see what you did you made a list

    you should rank it from slimiest to least slimy

    so Rosenstein and Sessions would be tied at the top

    and Zinke would be at the bottom

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  20. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-approves-spending-bill-with-5b-for-border-wall

    One more time, in case you didn’t hear? House approves spending bill with $5.7 billion for wall.

    Is I think we forget is still Republican Congress until January 3. The stupid 60 vote rule in the Senate is what will hold it up and shut down the government. Not Trump. Time to get rid of that thing. Not Trump. The stupid 60 vote rule.

    nk (dbc370)

  21. Except the Senate passed the wallless spending bill unanimously. Which Trump has promised to veto only after being bullied by Coulter, Limbaugh, and the combined punditry of Fox News.
    Last time I took math, 100 > 60.

    Kishnevi (7ee5f0)

  22. Dave is make list? I get same list for free with every order of avocado toast and Perrier at “Bernie Can Still Be President Cafe And Bookstore”.

    nk (dbc370)

  23. Except the Senate passed the wallless spending bill unanimously.

    Which means the Republicans gave the Democrats everything they wanted. But no wall in return. F**k them. Nuke the legislative filibuster, Mr. O’Connell. There will never be a better time.

    nk (dbc370)

  24. Yes they are generally useless, why I called them the possum senate.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  25. making the senate vote on this is a good and wonderful thing and who gets credit for that

    President Trump!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  26. @18. Actually, it’s a ‘pretty epic’ season or two of ‘The Apprentice.’

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  27. jimmy was also a HUGE climate change pansy and he polluted the whole military with this nonsense

    Yeah, it’s pretty heretical to acknowledge that climate change is real and that the military should adapt to those changes. It’s downright blasphemy, I tell ya!

    Paul Montagu (97e03f)

  28. Does it bother any Trumpers here that Putin is happy about the decision to withdraw troops from Syria and Mattis is not?

    Dana (023079)

  29. Yes and he thought the Ukraine would be an easy in and out mission, not as bloody as Chechnya but still.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  30. Not me, Dana. Putin is right. American soldiers have already been in one firefight with Russian soldiers that we know of, and we’ve conducted two missile strikes where Russians were present. If we keep playing with guns down there, sooner or later someone is bound to get hurt, Russians or Americans, in a way that either we or the Russians or both will not be able to ignore.

    nk (dbc370)

  31. plus failmerica keeps faking these chemical weapons attacks and blaming them on other people

    everyone’s just kinda sick of all the shenanigans

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  32. this is another promise kept

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  33. Glad to hear were getting the hell out of Afghanistan as well. Come on home boys, forget about being the worlds policemen, that job is for the united nations… lmmfao.

    mg (8cbc69)

  34. This confirms what happened:

    “Officials said Mr. Mattis went to the White House on Thursday afternoon in a last attempt to convince Mr. Trump to keep American troops in Syria. He was rebuffed, and told the president that he was resigning as a result”

    Dana (023079)

  35. Graham: Afghanistan withdrawal would be ‘paving the way toward a second 9/11’

    so cute

    him and Jimmy are just two peas in a hyper-masculine lil pod aren’t they

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  36. Yet he insists he cant deal with prince Salman, who is a proxy in this war.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  37. Afghanistan:

    The US military has been ordered to withdraw about half the troops in Afghanistan, a US defense official with direct knowledge of the matter told CNN on Thursday.

    The official said planning is underway, and it could take months to withdraw the nearly 7,000 troops.

    The decision was made Tuesday, at the same time as President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the US military from Syria — moves that precipitated Defense Secretary James Mattis’ resignation announcement on Thursday.

    Dana (023079)

  38. Get the neocons the heck out of Washington D.C.

    mg (8cbc69)

  39. Well, ok, I dunno about withdrawing only half the troops from Opiumnistan. We should not leave troops behind understrength.

    nk (dbc370)

  40. Well it’s nowhere simple to extricate triups through there, we came in through Uzbekistan, which probably isn’t available.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  41. Mattis resigned the right way, publicly outlining his differences with Trump, and they were important differences, large enough that he could no longer do his job. This is Trump’s biggest personnel loss, by far, and Trump is the one who caused it. Oh, and French nailed it yet again.

    Paul Montagu (97e03f)

  42. Not me, Dana. Putin is right. American soldiers have already been in one firefight with Russian soldiers that we know of, and we’ve conducted two missile strikes where Russians were present. If we keep playing with guns down there, sooner or later someone is bound to get hurt, Russians or Americans, in a way that either we or the Russians or both will not be able to ignore.

    What we need is for Trump’s successor, (Trump is obviously incapable of this) whomever that may be, to call in the ambassador for the Ukraine on the first day of their presidency to sign a memo of understanding which allows US troops to defend the soveriegnity of the Ukraine in light of the fact that recognized borders are a vital national interest, and immediately send US troops there. And if Russia even looks like they are thinking of shooting at us, we shoot them.

    And if they send a plane to buzz our ships or aircraft, shoot them down.

    Until Putin is faced with a credible use of military force, he will continue on his merry way.

    Kishnevi (c7baf0)

  43. BTW, President Kishnevi would also tell the Kurds in Syria to organize an independent state that did not intrude on Turkish territory. And then tell any Turks, Iraqis, or Syrians who objected to such a state, to shut up and eat their broccoli.

    Kishnevi (c7baf0)

  44. maybe the other half what has to stay was naughty and they’re being punished

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  45. Mattis resigned the right way, publicly outlining his differences with Trump

    ladyboy Mattis is now deeply invested in having all of this go as badly as possible and he’ll probably use all his sleazy military connections to do everything he can to nudge things in that direction

    i hate people like that

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  46. No, it was the proper thing to do,

    Kish how has that ever worked in moldova?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  47. None of you see Bolton’s moustache behind this?

    nk (dbc370)

  48. i see this more as a slap in cowardly john mccain’s insipid slack-jawed face

    this is all coming just hours after his role in feeding the urinating hooker dossier to the media came to light

    and ladyboy Mattis was over the moon in love with John McCain

    everybody knows that

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  49. Narciso, I have present connections to Moldava…the Third Reich saw to that. Those that didn’t make it to the US…didn’t make it.

    But (perhaps my memory is wrong) no US troops are present in Moldava. And I was being imprecise..my apologies..U meant credible US military force.

    Kishnevi (c7baf0)

  50. 49 I was curious about that. But I thought Bolton was far more of a γεράκι.

    Kishnevi (c7baf0)

  51. It seems like asymmetrical warfare of some kind, soon to come to an airport near you.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  52. Forces would be near in Poland and Romania respectively, but the bear would have to cross the frontier to provoke an attack.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  53. but it’s the dragon what’s trying to eat all of our tamales

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  54. But until the Boers get out of pocket, Russia will have be the international Great White Defendant.

    urbanleftbehind (3d4138)

  55. Yes the world will care as they did with Zimbabwe, oh they didn’t my mistake.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  56. More:

    Defense officials tell me Mattis went to the White House to discuss Syria & that he was livid after reading reports that Turkey’s Defense Minister threatened to kill US-backed Kurds & put them in ditches once the US withdrew. He was incensed at this notion of betrayal of an ally

    Dana (023079)

  57. and yet ladyboy mattis wasn’t even mildly incensed about the betrayal of our ally Israel when Bob Corker’s Israel Genocide Iran Deal was passed

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  58. and yet ladyboy mattis wasn’t even mildly incensed about the betrayal of our ally Israel when Bob Corker’s Israel Genocide Iran Deal was passed

    And yet Mattis was incensed by DonnieDumbDumb’s betrayal of our ally Israel.

    Colonel Klink (Ret) (82e41f)

  59. sounds like Mattis is maybe kinda hyper-emotional

    maybe a hormone imbalance or something

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  60. Oh you mean the laptop bomb that bossaert leaked the sourcing about (it came via a bahraini fmr asset in al queda, aimen dean)

    Narciso (d1f714)

  61. You know we weren’t even in Syria until Obama put us there after French persuasion, right? Socialist Francois Hollande French persuasion around 2013 or something?

    nk (dbc370)

  62. We have always been at war in syria, don’t forget that, just nick fury was always been samuel jackson

    Narciso (d1f714)

  63. ‘Nervous Nancy’ suggests all citizens consider the content of Mad-Dog’s resignation letter.

    That might be a good idea. Because it reads more like the kind of note you’d expect to be quilled by a departing, policy-musing, Secretary of State, not a Secretary of Defense. Which in itself may be a tad ‘un-nerving.’

    ‘Mad-Dog’ was thrown some very juicy bones. He lorded over an expanded DoD budget, including fresh plans for a ‘space force’ and $14 billion aircraft carrier costs, a seemingly ‘perpetual’ conflict in Afghanistan and a spike in mishaps including warship collisions as well as a significant percentage of aircraft grounded due to parts and maintenance issues– or simply mismanaged and damaged by storms.

    And Trump did campaign on ending American meddling in those costly, Middle East conflicts. Taxpayers have pumped billions in blood and treasure over there. We sell them arms to fight; then pay them not to fight. Meanwhile, Detroit crumbles and Miami floods. It’s a lucrative game they play. So ‘declaring victory and leaving’ a situation like Syria shouldn’t be a shocker. Mad-Dog’s foreign policy input and musings may be welcomed in discussions behind closed doors but OTOH, he was hired to manage the DoD, not foreign policy, nor be ‘the last adult in the room.’

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  64. Well Detroit crumbles because they shipped a lot of the jobs overseas, the people who have jobs are largely from the middle east Syria Lebanon et al. The war in Afghanistan is as old as a college freshman now, what can we realistically expect to change.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  65. what can we realistically expect to change

    Things can always get worse.

    Dave (1bb933)

  66. It could, but there has to be a prospect that it could get better:

    https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/12/the-trump-doctrine-and-2020.php

    Narciso (d1f714)

  67. Meanwhile, savor this exquisite piece of nonsense courtesy of John Bolton (speaking about North Korea):

    US national security adviser John Bolton also said in early December that a second summit should be held, as North Korea has not lived up to its commitments.

    “They have not lived up to the commitments so far,” he said at The Wall Street Journal’s annual CEO Council conference in Washington. “That’s why I think the President thinks that another summit is likely to be productive.”

    Yes, and let’s hope they don’t live up to any commitments they make this time, either, so we can keep having “productive” summits indefinitely!

    Dave (1bb933)

  68. Yeah, it’s pretty heretical to acknowledge that climate change is real and that the military should adapt to those changes. It’s downright blasphemy, I tell ya!

    Paul Montagu (97e03f) — 12/20/2018 @ 6:12 pm

    And what should the United States do exactly according to your beliefs?

    NJRob (4d595c)

  69. Why sacrifice to the cult of the sky dragon which means get rid of the internal combustion engine, use now energy except derived from sun and wind, what wasnt cutting in the 18th century. Why people worked all day and night in the fields

    Narciso (d1f714)

  70. The people of this country might reasonably expect when does the mission end, is it 25, 50, 100 years and what does winning entail?

    Narciso (d1f714)

  71. Now probably Karzai was too soft a leader like king Farouk but dostum the Afghan vp might be a little rough with prisoners, so much so hes now in exile.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  72. And what should the United States do exactly according to your beliefs?

    The real question is, what did Mattis suggest that was so outrageous that he would be called a “HUGE climate change pansy”? I’ll answer that for you: There was nothing outrageous. The trigger phrase “climate change is real” was invoked and it went to hell from there.

    Paul Montagu (903f37)

  73. Its nor real in ths way that it entails returning to pre industrial civilization if you want to be serious, this is why Paris has been rioting for five weeks over the mildest of restrictions.

    Narciso (d1f714)

  74. The real question is, what did Mattis suggest that was so outrageous that he would be called a “HUGE climate change pansy”? I’ll answer that for you: There was nothing outrageous. The trigger phrase “climate change is real” was invoked and it went to hell from there.

    Paul Montagu (903f37) — 12/20/2018 @ 11:01 pm

    No. The real question is what I asked. You’re deflecting.

    If you believe in CAGW, what are the steps we must take in the future?

    NJRob (4d595c)

  75. Desert camo for polar bears would be one thing.

    Dave (1bb933)

  76. Also, there are bases, like Diego Garcia, that could be impacted by rising sea level.

    In addition to the danger of inundation, Diego Garcia’s fresh water supply relies on a complex stratified aquifer of fresh water from rainfall floating on underground salt water.

    Dave (1bb933)

  77. Its amazing how quickly the American Left, and their corrupt media, became supporters of the FBI/CIA/DOJ and surveillance state and support endless wars around the world. The dems are probably getting the talking points from the rinos and neocons.

    mg (8cbc69)

  78. https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/mattis_was_no_good.htmlto
    good by global warming, tranny lover. Confused trannies shouldn’t be anywhere near a loaded weapon, for cripes sake.

    mg (8cbc69)

  79. OT. But notable. 

    ‘Eight’ turns 50 this day.  If you were alive and aware in 1968, the events of the past half century were in our future that December 21. Unknown. Just like Luna. And at the time, as that hellish year came to a close, the public was looking ahead to a lunar landing as a benchmark for success. But space historians will tell you it was Apollo 8 which really won the ‘space race’ for the United States.

    It came to be by an accident of scheduling, by the chance timing of celestial mechanics and by the clever thinking of an engineer named George Low, an Austrian Jew, who emigrated to the U.S. to escape Hitler. Low recommended putting three Americans on top of a massive rocket which had never carried men before, designed by another foreign-born engineer, a German and ex-Nazi, and launch them a quarter million miles out into space to orbit the moon. Then bring them back safely. Incredible.

    Even today, the lists of firsts are amazing to consider.  The particulars can be looked up on line and several media outlets will likely make note of them. It was by far the boldest reach by man in all of human history. And thanks to television, we all went along for the ride.  But how it touched us individually varied as the blending of technology and spirituality was made clear to the watching world.

    The Spirit of Apollo ceremonies at the National Cathedral last week summed it up well for me. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SwFXgd1ESQ

    Personally, it remains the most fundamental, most significant Christmas week in my life. I don’t banter much about religion when commenting on this blog. I’d ceased attending organized church services in March of ’68 for reasons of my own and have remained loyal to that decision ever since.  Because I don’t need a ‘middle man’ anymore. On that Christmas Eve, 1968, as that wretched, miserable, awful year drew to close, everything became clear thanks to Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders. It just clicked into place– at least for me. Either you get it– or you don’t, so there’s little more to add. For us, in London, it was actually early Christmas morning when those grainy images of our Earth– that ‘rather dinky little planet,’  as Anders would call it– our moon and the words of Genesis came through loud and clear on a little 6-inch Sony b/w TV, perched on the freezer in the kitchen of our flat.  I can still see and feel those twenty minutes. The sense of order and serenity. And the true meaning of that phrase, ‘God bless all of you; all of you on the good Earth.’ 

    Either you get it– or you don’t.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  80. Considering that the mission in Syria began as an attempt by Obama to arm rebels on the sly and gin up trouble to overthrow Bashar Assad and throw the whole region into a tizzy…

    which ended up arming ISIS, killing countless civilians, and the Russians getting involved to keep their guy…

    which gets us involved in a Vietnam style proxy war on the edge of Russian activity complete with occasional ‘friendly fire’ mistakes, intentional or otherwise…

    What’s the mission statement? What’s the victory condition here? We’re not going to overthrow Assad and the rebels aren’t going to either, not with the Russians in place around him. Assad isn’t a nice guy, it would be nice if he died in a fire, but Israel had things pretty much under control with occasional bombings of the more terroristic/nuclear actions.

    We got sucked in there by Obama’s perfidy. The only victory condition we have left is ‘protect the Kurds’ which we can do from our Iraqi bases and deals from with Israel/the Saudis. Maybe a few military trainers for the Kurds.

    This is Trump one hundred percent cleaning up Obama’s mess.

    Ingot9455 (01eb06)

  81. Thank you, Mr. Ingot9455.

    nk (dbc370)

  82. No. The real question is what I asked. You’re deflecting.

    No, I reject the premise of your question. It’s not about my worldview. If you want to have a debate about whether climate change is real, that’s a separate discussion.

    Paul Montagu (903f37)

  83. climate change is a hoax

    hoaxes are bad but when you pollute the military with them you’re actively working for Putin

    and that’s what ladyboy Mattis is

    a dirty Putin stooge

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  84. The point is Montagu no debate is allowed, that’s how your friend insley rolls:

    https://quodverum.com/2018/12/355/james-mattis-to-resign-as-secretary-of-defense.html

    Narciso (d1f714)

  85. I’ll add that when Obama went to Congress for an AUMF to send troops to Syria for his little overthrow-but-I-can’t-say-it plan, Congress resoundingly turned him down. He sent troops anyway under his expeditionary authority.

    Ingot9455 (01eb06)

  86. Let me know if you need a long explanation as to what’s really going on with ‘climate change’.

    However, if the answer to climate change is ‘more power to government and a socialist controlled economy’ then it is by definition BS.

    As the Instapundit says, when the people who tell me it’s a crisis act like it’s a crisis, I’ll believe it’s a crisis. If it was really a crisis and the actors really believed, they would live in small energy-efficient houses, fly coach, and agitate for safe sixth-generation nuclear power which is by far the cheapest most stable high-output energy source with essentially no carbon output.

    Ingot9455 (01eb06)

  87. Roman soldiers experienced climate change when they invaded Northern Europe, and you know what they did? They started wearing pants under their red mini-dresses. But they called them braccae, likely a Latinization of the Germanic brok, and that’s where we get “breeches” from.

    nk (dbc370)

  88. I say “likely” a Latinization, because the words could be cognates, from the same Indo-European root, like pater/vater/father or thygater/tochter/daughter.

    nk (dbc370)

  89. So, if the climate warms up enough will our soldiers dispense with pants and start wearing little red mini-dresses again? And could that be the reason that trannies are lining up to enlist in droves?

    nk (dbc370)

  90. yes yes it’s cause they couldn’t breech the wall and do head lice all up in it so they decided to focus on doing the climate change hoax all up in the military

    darling little sun dresses by spring for sure

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  91. 84. Climate change is real. And man is incapable of causing it. Are we done now?

    Gryph (08c844)

  92. 1. I really don’t know what to make of all this, except that I don’t judge the merits of foreign policy by what Putin thinks of it. There may be good practical reasons for remaining in Syria and Afghanistan, but annoying Vlad isn’t among the top 20.

    Gryph (08c844)

  93. Turkey graciously agrees to wait for our troops to withdraw before exterminating our Kurdish allies

    Dave (1bb933)

  94. 95. I don’t accept it as axiomatic that it is in America’s best interest to put American troops in harm’s way for our Kurdish allies. It may be true, but I don’t accept it as axiomatic. No one has made an attempt to explain to me why we are there, what we stand to gain by remaining, or what we’ll lose by allowing the Kurds to fend for themselves (which I understand will most likely not end well).

    Of course I said the same thing when we intervened in Bosnia. We seemed to be over there on the basis of some kind of flimsy moral imperative as well. That never makes for a good look where civilian politicians are concerned.

    Gryph (08c844)

  95. climate change is so silly

    grown-ass men in military uniforms mewling about climate change ffs they might as well just give up on Christmas and call it a day

    maybe try on one of those adorable little sun dresses

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  96. None of the parties involved in Bosnia was (initially) hostile to us or sworn to the destruction of our way of life.

    In Syria and Afghanistan, one is.

    Dave (1bb933)

  97. here these ones are people what do not give up on christmas

    these are my fellow chicago people

    they can be surprisingly lovely people these ones

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  98. Yes the French are filling in, they handled Syria in the early part of the last century

    Narciso (70c141)

  99. here is a lake

    i think it’s an ice lake on mars

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  100. “this is why Paris has been rioting for five weeks over the mildest of restrictions”

    no it isn’t

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  101. So will the yellow vesters just change chants?

    urbanleftbehind (3d4138)

  102. And happyfeet, those…are…houses!

    urbanleftbehind (3d4138)

  103. cowardly slack-jawed mccain isn’t about to man up and take responsibility for his cowardly womanish life choices

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  104. they really are neat especially if they have the finished basement

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  105. 98. Okay. I’ll buy that. So let’s destroy that group, or those groups, so we can leave in victory instead of having another decades-long Vietnam redux.

    I’m not suggesting that what Trump is doing here is wise. I’ve made no effort to hide my disdain for Trump the man. But he is fulfilling a promise he campaigned on, a promise that he was voted into office for. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

    Gryph (08c844)

  106. 108. OR or….we could seal up our borders properly and deal with the pseudoreligion “Islam” in such a way as to ensure that the people wishing to destroy our way of lives and terrorize us are completely incapable of doing so. We have the means, just not the stomach for it.

    Gryph (08c844)

  107. “We have the means, just not the stomach for it.”

    What’s your solution to the muslim problem, Gryph?

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  108. Out: #Mattis2020

    In: #Mattis2019

    Kevin M (cb624b)

  109. 110. My solution to the muslim problem is unrealistic, sure. But it’s quite doable. Profile the daylights out of them and make them adhere to the same laws and traditions that we all do.

    E.G.: No, you can’t build a mosque there. No, you can’t have that job if you won’t handle liquor and bacon. No, you can’t blast your calls to prayer at all hours of the day and night.

    In summary, Americanize them. And if they won’t, they don’t get to be here. The same way my great grandparents and great great grandparents approached the question of citizenship.

    Gryph (08c844)

  110. muslims are fine it’s the dirty chinesers what wanna eat all our tamales

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  111. The point is Montagu no debate is allowed, that’s how your friend insley rolls:

    I don’t know what “no debate is allowed” means, because we’re debating right here, and Inslee is neither a friend nor a person I voted for. If you’re trying to smear me as some kind of Democrat, then I may just conclude that your comments are in bad faith.

    Paul Montagu (e20d45)

  112. Santa and his reindeer slaves are plotting a christmas coup

    they wanna bring a present soon to you and you and you

    they have a mission it’s legit eyes on the prize they’ll never quit

    ladyboy mattis? can’t go the distance!

    but Santa never gives up on Christmas!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  113. Paul Montagu (e20d45) — 12/21/2018 @ 9:43 am

    You once claimed that you do not do well with cryptic comments. I now believe you. If you ask narciso for an explanation, he will provide you with one. He’s a good guy about that; much better than I.

    felipe (023cc9)

  114. reading Mattis;s resignation letter, it seems to me that the big difference between Mattis and Trump is that while Mattis agrees the U.S. should not be the world’s policeman, that is, not do all the fighting, he does believe the United States should organize things, and is indispensable for things to happen.

    And on top of that many people may have made promises to some people in Sryria..

    The U.S. intervention in Syria has been managed without getting any or hardly any casualties, but this does not seem to be the issue with Trump. He thinks nothing but terrorism, and mainly terrorism that takes place within the 50 states and 6 territories is, or should be, of any concern to the United States. He may be listening to Rand Paul.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  115. 21. Kishnevi (7ee5f0) — 12/20/2018 @ 5:37 pm

    Which Trump has promised to veto only after being bullied by Coulter, Limbaugh, and the combined punditry of Fox News.

    Ann Coulter tweeted that Trump would either ot serve out his term or be defeated for re-election, and Trump responded by unfollowing her. So i am nt sure how much he is trying to satisfy Ann Coulter.

    Regarding the government funding, right now they are not passing anything for Trump to veto, but this may hapen after January 3. Trump can wait the ten days, excluding Sundays. If by that time it’s not resolved there may be agood possibility that Congress will override his veto. And that is maybe the on;y way this will end. Lsoing by a 2/3 majority in Congress is the only way trump wil conclude he’s on teh wrong side of that issue.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/us/politics/trump-shutdown-border-wall.html

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  116. The Senate passed a walless funding bill because it is a temporary extension. Democrats are willing to give him $1.6 billion but no more.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  117. Victoria Nuland Op-ed piece:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/in-a-single-tweet-trump-destroys-us-policy-in-the-middle-east/2018/12/19/eb423434-03da-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.fd465ec1e083

    I think one big reason Putin sided with Trump in the election is that he thought Victoria Nuleans was one of Hillary’s women, and she was acting on Hillary’s instructons when she helped overthrow the old Ukrainian government, which wasn’t true, but Hillary wasn’t going to tell him she didn’t have that great influence.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  118. Obama never called old Mattis before he kicked his sorry azz out the door. Hypocrites.

    mg (8cbc69)

  119. Durban says he and others literally begged Mattis to stay as long as he could. Trump seems to ahve reacted to this, or other things, saying Mattid will leave by January 1.

    https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1076881816462737408

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump

    I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!

    8:46 AM – 23 Dec 2018

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  120. Trump gives Mattis the ol’heave-ho,ho,ho as a Christmas present.

    ‘Mad-Dog’ gave his departure time as February 28; the Commander-In-Chief ordered him to have his footlocker out the door more or less in a Noo Yawk minute: by New Year’s.

    “Salut-tay!” – Lurcio [Frankie Howerd] ‘Up Pompeii!’ BBC TV, 1969-1970

    DCSCA (797bc0)


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