Striving Against Opposition

General Mattis - My Kind of Soldier

Marine General James Mattis, is a Patton style soldier. He's good at what he does and he likes his job. He seems to have stirred the media up into something of a lather over the fact that he mentioned he both likes fighting, and killing assorted terrorists, fascists and various other minions of tyranny. (NY Times link, free registration is required)

Ah but you have to love someone as forthright about where he stand as Mattis.

According to an audio recording of General Mattis's remarks obtained by The Associated Press, he said: "Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling."

He added, "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil."

General Mattis continued: "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."

The media like generals like Collin Powel, whom are far more cryto-uniformed politicians than they are generals. General Mattis on the other hand is the sort of guy you want to go to war with. If you wanted to boil down his comments you would have those of "Major Payne" (a Wayans brothers movie about a marine) who stated "Killing is my business and business is GOOD".

Quite frankly, what does the media want from soldiers? For them to be sulky and remorseful over their business and to put in a half hearted effort?

Most likely some of them would prefer that as that would mean the American military would be nigh to impotent if it went about hesitantly and with misgivings. However, that's not what soldiers are meant to do. They aren't meant to shovel out the streets of Toronto, nor are they meant to be distributing alms to the international poor.

Soldiers are suposed to kill the enemy. By definition the enemy is bad, killing him is desirable as that is the mission and if you do not kill him, he will kill you.

Perhaps Mattis isn't a sauve sophisticate and the media can make him out as a backward redneck brawler. But that's one redneck brawler that I wish was running our military whether the media hates him or not. When it comes down to whom you want on your side in a scap, they can have the sophisticates, I'll take the good old boy every time.

posted by Chris @ 2/05/2005 07:43:00 p.m.