"Marine general gets top command post; Blunt-talking Iraq veteran led Fallujah campaign" by Anne Gearan and Anne Flaherty, Associated Press | July 9, 2010
WASHINGTON — Marine Corps General James Mattis would oversee US military operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as across the Middle East, including Iraq and Iran....
So when does the attack begin?
Mattis is a blunt-talking, seasoned war veteran best known for leading troops into the bloody battle of Fallujah in Iraq in 2004.
Related: Memory Hole: Willie Pete
So he's a war criminal.
He is somewhat of a surprising pick. On the one hand, Mattis has significant ground combat experience and is considered an intellectual who grasps the nuances of fighting a complicated counterinsurgency. In 2004, his division led the assault on Fallujah, and he played a key role in helping Iraqi forces negotiate with insurgents inside the city.
But he is also known to speak bluntly and off-the-cuff — much like McChrystal, who was fired for speaking critically of his civilian bosses.
Related: Afghanistan: Change of Command
The Message in McChrystal's Firing
What message is being sent by the hiring?
In 2005, Mattis was chastised by his superiors for saying in a speech in San Diego that it was “fun to shoot some people.’’ Mattis was a three-star general at the time, stationed in Quantico, Va., when he told an audience that some Afghans deserved to die.
The Nazis felt the same way.
“Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight,’’ he said. “You know, . . . It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right upfront with you. I like brawling.’’
His boss at the time, General Mike Hagee, said that the comments reflected the “unfortunate and harsh realities of war,’’ but that Mattis had been asked to watch what he says in public.
Yeah, be a butcher but not in public.
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