(10-04-2017, 12:18 AM)B2hibry Wrote:

(10-03-2017, 09:40 PM)TJBender Wrote: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/world...trump.html

Let me preface with this: I have a tremendous amount of respect for James Mattis and the job he's doing as Secretary of Defense. For a man that many had pegged as a mouthy warhawk, his dignity and desire for diplomacy have continually impressed me. His dismissive response to the anthem kneeling (or was it something else? Can't even remember which controversy is which) was perfect. "I'm the Secretary of Defense. I defend the country." He's displayed a level of statesmanship far beyond anything Trump could ever hope to show, and an understanding of how the world works that Trump is oblivious to.

In short, General Mattis should be President, and I hope I have the opportunity to vote for him in 2020.

With that aside, with the man that Trump hand-selected to withdraw us from the Iran deal now saying that he thinks it's to our benefit to stay in it--and with very good reason--what does it say about the state of Trump's presidency, perhaps even his state of mind?

To further my Mattis 2020 push a bit, I highly recommend reading his remarks during an event in Kitsap, Washington. He clearly gets it, he understands the world we live in, and while I remain a pretty sharp isolationist, his response to the question about it definitely made me stop and think. I'd like to shake his hand someday and thank him for that.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts...ashington/

Gen. Mattis is a smart dude. He knows how to speak tough without backing himself into a corner or disrespecting his boss. In any case, he did not unequivocally state that we should keep the Iran deal. He stated that if all reviewers can agree and that the terms within the agreement can be verified that he thinks it should be renewed. As of right now, Russia and Iran have kept inspectors from verification of section T of the deal.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-n...SKCN1C821N

Therein lies the rub.  He knows as well as anyone the likelihood that Iran is going to live up to their end of the agreement, as has already been proven out since it was signed.  He also knows that many of the very groups tasked with monitoring compliance have been rebuffed by Iran and their Russian buddies.  All signs point toward withdrawing no matter what he's indicated.

Mattis is a good and thoughtful man.  He's not the hot head many on the left expected him to be, and if they had educated themselves in the slightest, they would have understood this from the beginning, but the politicization of every appointment allowed them to portray him as a war hawk.  That's never been his MO in the past, but let's not allow facts to get in the way of a good old political hit job.

He's tough as nails, and he fully understands how to use rhetoric to project strength, an there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.  He's not afraid to use the military if called upon.  I just don't think that's his first preference in any situation.

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