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Mattis makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan

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By Saul Loeb

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SECDEF Mattis addressing the troops:  "It's my pleasure to be here today and I bring you greetings and best wishes from your erratic, amoral, idiot, impetuous, adversarial, petty, Fifth Grader President who acts in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic."

"And I would like to stress that the contemptuous words attributed to me in Woodward's book about President Trump were never uttered by me or in my presence."

Gen Mattis had a superb and much admired military career before he decided to ditch his reputation and sign on to the cesspool.  If he is part of the "resistance" keeping us safe from the Great Orange Impetuous One, then thank goodness, but as with all those that associate themselves with Trump, they lose whatever good reputation they once had.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Trying to stay out the house because the wifey (Dump) is in a bad mood.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I wonder if Mattis will use the word 'lodestar'.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Only visit is nothing, stay there a couple of years to know what's the world there is real hell...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

TorafusuTorasanSep. 7  08:02 pm JST

@Serrano, you're on the right track.

Now let me intervene and explain how I read the "whimp/wimp" comment.

Most civilians think of the White House as a posh pinnacle where the best of the best work at managing the country, and high achievers are invited to receive an award or join a cultural event. A lodestar of the good ship America, if you will, but also a bit frilly and touristy.

The joke of Mattis being called wimpy is that the harsh reality of working at Trump's White House is so depressing that Mattis has to flee to the ends of the earth, a place that pompous politicians would never follow. Mattis as a career military man and student of history probably likes to deal with fairly predictable and containable foes, and avoid asymmetrical battles and friendly fire. Thus off to Taliban turf he goes to clear his head for a tenaciously dogged surge of letters to the editor.

TorafusuTorasan: A 'close enough' interpretation by one of the more intelligent and erudite commenters to the JT threads.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@torafusuT he could avoid being blatant by mixing in some Grateful Dead "Dark Star" quotes,

How about lines from 'The Eleven'? After all, this is the season of what.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@Serrano, you're on the right track. Now let me intervene and explain how I read the "whimp/wimp" comment.

Most civilians think of the White House as a posh pinnacle where the best of the best work at managing the country, and high achievers are invited to receive an award or join a cultural event. A lodestar of the good ship America, if you will, but also a bit frilly and touristy.

The joke of Mattis being called wimpy is that the harsh reality of working at Trump's White House is so depressing that Mattis has to flee to the ends of the earth, a place that pompous politicians would never follow. Mattis as a career military man and student of history probably likes to deal with fairly predictable and containable foes, and avoid asymmetrical battles and friendly fire. Thus off to Taliban turf he goes to clear his head for a tenaciously dogged surge of letters to the editor.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Obama was weak despite killing more terrorists - UBL included - than any other president during terrorist time's. Now Trump is negotiating with the Taliban, listed terrorists. Non-enemy combatants that conservatives think belong in Gitmo, not st the negotiating table.

And we continue to decend down the wild world of the conservative rabbit hole. We'll be seeing interstellar nicorns before long! ROFL.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Trump has been ineffective on Afghanistan.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Disparage McCain for his politics and hold Mattis up because of his pedigree. So Mattis being a military man gives him a pass for participating in the repugnance of Trump?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

if Mattis, a man if his pedigree thought that being with President was detrimental to his career, he would have never taken the job.

Perhaps he took the job to serve his country, not his weird President. But you're right, he does have great pedigree, as well as experience and knowledge. Which can only mean that he recognizes Trump for the the incompetent, dissembling, draft-dodging blowhard coward that he is.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Why hasn't Dump visited the troops overseas? Tsk, Tsk.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Trump has been ineffective on Afghanistan.

Obama did nothing, so sad....

Disparage McCain for his politics and hold Mattis up because of his pedigree. So Mattis being a military man gives him a pass for participating in the repugnance of Trump?

No one is disparaging McCain for his military service! As a politician that is a completely different story. McCain was more of a liberal politically than a conservative, at least Mattis is a true conservative and wants to see the implantation of conservative ideologies implemented to do what is necessary to stabilize this quagmire.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

No one is disparaging McCain for his military service!

How soon we forget:

Trump on McCain:

He's not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

What a whimp.

He obviously thinks Absurdistan is much safer than the (not so) White House at the moment.

Maybe dodging the Cesspool Landlord’s WITCH HUNT????

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@Serrano, are you sure the nickname Mad Dog isn't tongue in cheek? I mean, Mattis is a never married man who reportedly likes to collect and read history books, with a library numbering in the high thousands. Do you know something else besides his bookish public persona that we should know? I'll bet he could accurately place the word "lodestar" in a sentence as well as anyone in the Trump administration if you catch my drift.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Trying to stay out the house because the wifey (Dump) is in a bad mood.

Or he just wants to find a way to troll paranoid liberals.

Gen Mattis had a superb and much admired military career before he decided to ditch his reputation and sign on to the cesspool. 

That’s your personal opinion, if Mattis, a man if his pedigree thought that being with President was detrimental to his career, he would have never taken the job.

If he is part of the "resistance" keeping us safe from the Great Orange Impetuous One, then thank goodness,

If it is indeed true, but looking more at this story, not so sure if it has any validity at all, but we will find out soon, I know Washington, NOTHING stays hidden for long .

but as with all those that associate themselves with Trump, they lose whatever good reputation they once had.

Naw, I think the left and the typical Washington establishment try as they might would rather say, screw the people and their decision, we will change it. Either we honor democracy, the will of the people that voted in this President or we just usurp the process? Liberals are loose canons, they think what they’re doing is helping them, I submit to you, it’s all counterproductive, because Karma can back on them as well.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

SerranoSep. 7  06:53 pm JST

"The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with Washington and refused to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate. "

Whereas the Taliban, who forbid girls from going to school, are legitimate, lol.

Gremlin: "What a whimp."

You mean wimp? That's the first time I've ever heard anyone describe Mad Dog Mattis as a wimp. Obviously you don't know anything about this guy, do you?

No, I mean whimp.

Wrong. You still haven’t heard anyone describe Mad Dog Mattis as a wimp.

And, how could you possibly know how much I know about USMC General James Norman Mattis (Retired), to be able to write that I obviously don’t know anything about this guy?

In fact, the only thing you do actually know is that you don’t know anything about me.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

SilvafanSep. 8  06:31 am JST

Why hasn't Dump visited the troops overseas? Tsk, Tsk.

BONE SPURS

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

ClippetyClopSep. 8  01:02 am JST

if Mattis, a man if his pedigree thought that being with President was detrimental to his career, he would have never taken the job.

Perhaps he took the job to serve his country, not his weird President.

I agree.

But you're right, he does have great pedigree, as well as experience and knowledge.

Goes without saying.

Which can only mean that he recognizes Trump for the the incompetent, dissembling, draft-dodging blowhard coward that he is

Which, logically, would make him a key member of The Resistance, if it actually exists (Anywhere other than in his Boss’ paranoid mind).

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

SuperLibSep. 7  10:29 pm JST

Trump has been ineffective on Afghanistan.

Is there any evidence to suggest he has actually tried to do anything about the situation in Absurdistan?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@PTownsend, he could avoid being blatant by mixing in some Grateful Dead "Dark Star" quotes, or something about dwarf stars, the death star, or--ahem--people euphemistically known as adult film stars.

Yet it may be impossible to use "lodestar" in a sentence (outside the context of a New York Times op-ed).

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

thousands of additional U.S. forces

How come we continue to hear these words no matter whether the serving US President is polite and pragmatic or ill-mannered and irrational?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Torafusu *the harsh reality of working at Trump's White House is so depressing"

Kellyanne Conway would disagree with you, and she knows what she be talking about. Watch and learn:

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

Super: "Trump has been ineffective on Afghanistan."

Good grief - The latest Afghan war has been going on for 17 years, Obama was totally ineffective on Afghanistan during his entire eight years, we didn't hear anything about that from Super, but oh, Trump, who has had but a year and a half, is ineffective, lol...

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

"So Mattis being a military man gives him a pass for participating in the repugnance of Trump?"

What are you on about, Chip? Mattis is participating in the repugnance of Trump by making a surprise visit to Afghanistan? How?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

@torafusu Mattis couldn't accurately place the word "lodestar" in a sentence as well as Vice President Pence, lol. But he is a very good military man and most definitely not a wimp. Did I catch your drift? lol

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

"The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with Washington and refused to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate. "

Whereas the Taliban, who forbid girls from going to school, are legitimate, lol.

Gremlin: "What a whimp."

You mean wimp? That's the first time I've ever heard anyone describe Mad Dog Mattis as a wimp. Obviously you don't know anything about this guy, do you?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

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