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Confirmation of SecDef nominee Gen. James N. Mattis USMC (ret)

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  • Confirmation of SecDef nominee Gen. James N. Mattis USMC (ret)

    Click on this line of text to link to a C-SPAN video of the Senate confirmation hearing (my attempt at embedding the video within the post has failed).




    Defense Secretary Confirmation Hearing

    January 12, 2017
    C-SPAN

    Retired Gen. James Mattis, the Trump administration’s Defense Secretary nominee, discussed a number of topics at his confirmation hearing including U.S.-NATO relations, Russia, U.S. intelligence reliability, the defense budget and military readiness. He testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee. On NATO, Mr. Mattis called it the most successful military alliance. He acknowledged President-elect Trump’s skepticism of NATO but added that in conversations with him, Mr. Trump has shown an openness on the topic. The President-elect has also questioned U.S. intelligence. Mr. Mattis said he has a “very high, high degree of confidence” in the nation’s intelligence community. To wrap up the more than three-hour long hearing, senators voted to pass a bill out of committee to give Gen. Mattis a waiver allowing him to serve as Defense Secretary even though he’s only been out of military service since 2013. Under existing law, there is a 7 year wait period for retired military officers to serve as Defense Secretary.

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    Last edited by JRT; 13 Jan 17,, 15:25.
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  • #2
    Like a Boss

    http://www.duffelblog.com/2017/01/ma...k-isis-boxers/

    Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, attended his Thursday confirmation hearing wearing only a Spartan helmet and boxers emblazoned with the words “Fuck ISIS” on them, sources confirmed.
    A number of senators on the Armed Services Committee expressed shock after the 66-year-old entered the room shirtless, though some female staffers reportedly swooned over the retired general’s ripped 8-pack abs.
    “I only came here to do two things: kick some ass and drink some beer,” Mattis said before removing his helmet and taking a seat at the witness table. “Looks like we’re almost outta beer.”
    Fortunately, before Mattis murdered someone due to the alcohol oversight, a number of congressional aides refilled the pitcher in front of him with his favorite brew while others shined his black jungle boots, which still had fresh blood on them from a brief deployment he personally made to Raqqa before the hearing.
    In a brief opening statement, Mattis told the committee that he would be honored to take the job as secretary of defense. He went on to add that he would work diligently to improve military morale, reform the Pentagon bureaucracy, and crush America’s enemies while simultaneously hearing the lamentations of their women.
    Perhaps fearful of a Mattis backlash, most senators asked softball questions such as “why are you the greatest general ever?” and “can I have your autograph, sir?” Still, at least one tried to ask a more substantive question about civilian leadership of the military.
    “General Mattis, why do you think we should grant you a waiver in order to serve as Secretary of Defense?” asked Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). According to multiple witnesses, Mattis then jumped on the table and screamed “This is Sparta!” before kicking the junior senator down a bottomless pit that has been typically reserved only for reports dealing with congressional ethics.

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    • #3
      And just cause I can

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      • #4
        I actually admire Mattis quite a bit, his peers have nothing but good things to say about him; I'm in the middle of a couple of "war" books right now (Operation Phantom Fury: The Assault and Capture of Fallujah, Iraq by Dick Camp, and Why We Lost: A General's Inside Account of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, by Daniel P. Bolger), and they both mention Mattis favorably. IIRC, he was involved in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, also. He's known for having a rather "salty" vocabulary, but he is also a well-read scholar; people make the mistake of underestimating his intelligence when they first meet him ("he's just a glorified grunt"), but soon find out he's no one to trifle with.
        "There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as you can in the time that you have. Remember Scrooge, time is short, and suddenly, you're not there any more." -Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge

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        • #5
          Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC (ret), on the Nature of War

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          • #6
            Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC (ret), on the State of the World

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            • #7
              Charles Hill and Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC (ret), on the Iran Deal, Democracy, and Freedom

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              • #8
                Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC (ret), Reflections

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                • #9
                  Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC, a luncheon address: Joint Warfare in the 21st Century

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                  • #10
                    Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC (ret), on The Middle East at an Inflection Point

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                    • #11
                      Gen. James N. Mattis, USMC (ret), on Reflections of a Combatant Commander in a Turbulent World

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                      • #12
                        Very humble man
                        I like him very much. Hopefully he can his own man.

                        That being said the I found the gentleman (senator I think) L. Graham who was interviewing him at one point to be a complete asshole. Of the all the sh!t happening all of the world, this idiot asked Mattis to get the name the capital of Israel and gets excited that he didn't say Jerusalem. Israel seems to own US Congress.


                        Rex as well. Found him to be a great pick and hopefully will be his own man.

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