When the first battle of Fallujah in April 2004 reached its climax and it appeared that the Marines and soldiers assaulting the city were close to securing the insurgent stronghold, General John Abizaid travelled to Anbar to order General James Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division, to stop the assault. Disingenuous news reports from Arab media outlets which painted the assault as a massacre of innocent civilians had caused an outcry in the international community and as a result the Bush administration and its Iraqi allies waivered in its support for the operation. Abizaid met Mattis in his command post outside the city, where he had been leading the battle from the front for weeks. Over three dozen soldiers, sailors, and Marines had died in the assault. Mattis’s own command element had been attacked multiple times by this point and had suffered casualities. His uniform was soiled and dirty from the weeks of constant combat. When Abizaid (a four-star general in charge of CENTCOM) told Mattis (a two-star divisional commander) to stop the assault Mattis looked Abizaid in the eye and growled IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE VIENNA TAKE FUCKING VIENNA. Abizaid just nodded and Mattis stormed out of the room.
That story for me is the embodiment of General James Mattis, whom I think many Marines would agree is the greatest Marine general since Chesty Puller.
Mattis has been an infantry officer for close to forty years. He led a battalion in Desert Storm, led the first Marines into Afghanistan in 2001, and then commanded the legendary 1st Marine Division in the initial invasion of Iraq and when the division occupied Anbar province in 2004. He is credited with developing many of the counterinsurgency tactics that would eventually lead to victory in Iraq (the phrase “No better friend, no worse enemy” encapsulates his beliefs about counterinsurgency warfare and would become the 1st Marine Division’s motto). He was also a constant advocate for the enlisted Marine, especially the grunts. He even advocated at one point giving special duty pay to squad leaders in infantry units, recognizing their extra burdens and responsibilities in the war in Iraq. Every Marine that I met who served with him in the 1st Marine Division spoke of him in only the highest terms. It was natural to assume that this fine infantry officer who had contributed so much to the Corps would be chosen to be its next commandant. He met all the standards that almost every previous commandant had established. He was an infantry officer, he had led men in combat, he had commanded everything from a rifle platoon to a Marine Expeditionary Force, and he even held important joint billets at places like Joint Forces Command. He is also unmarried and has absolutely nothing but the Marine Corps to devote his life to. However, the Obama administration did not think that this great Marine who has already had such a great impact on the Corps was worthy of its top job. This quote from the AP sums up why Mattis was passed over for Commandant (emphasis is mine):
In choosing him, the Pentagon passed over Gen. James Mattis — an expert in counterinsurgency warfare but also expected to pose a stiffer challenge to proposed budget changes.
“This guy is a very blunt, clear thinker,” Loren Thompson, a defense analyst who heads the Lexington Institute, said of Mattis. “He thinks big ideas and doesn’t suffer fools.”
Thompson said he thinks the Pentagon’s decision to pick Amos to lead the Marines was a signal that it doesn’t want push-back if some of the service’s most cherished programs, like the Marine’s Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, are scaled back.
In Marine-speak: They wanted a bitch for Commandant. General James Amos is the type of general officer who doesn’t rock the boat. He is an air-winger and most of his operational commands were of air-wing units. I am not saying Amos is a bad officer or general, but he can’t hold a candle to Mattis and what he has accomplished.
Amos also doesn’t have a problem with political correctness like Mattis does. As you can probably tell from the opening paragraph in this post, Mattis isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. In 2005, Mattis got in trouble for saying this about the Taliban:
“You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil. 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. 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.”
Of course many in the media blew a gasket over that and Mattis was forced to apologize. But you know what, 99 percent of the Marine Corps feels that way and so do most people in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The media of course ignored some of the more insightful statements Mattis made about operation in Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly the lack of a coherent strategy in both those countries. A guy like Mattis however probably would offend the delicate sensibilities of a limp-wrist like Obama.
Mattis would also call bullshit on Robert Gates’s plan to weaken the Marine Corps. Over the past several months, Gates has been attacking the Marine Corps plans to field a new amphibious assault vehicle (the EFV), the Joint Strike Fighter, and requests for new amphibious assault ships for the Navy. Gates has repeatedly said he doesn’t forsee any forced-entry ampihibious operations in the future. However, Gates clearly is ignorant of the fact that almost every year that Marine Corps conducts real-world amphibious operations (Haiti anymore? How bout New Orleans?). Potential future operations in places like Somalia, Iran, or even North Korea clearly could require an ampihibious assault. Not to mention at the very least these ships provide a lift capacity to move massive amounts of equipment (not only for Marine Corps either) and not require a major port to unload it.
Gates’s criticism of the Marine Corps is similar to President Truman’s in the late 1940s’, when that President tried to abolish the Corps altogether. The Corps won that battle with the help of its allies in Congress and because of strong general officers who were leading the Corps during that time. Gates and Obama clearly don’t want accomplished general officers who aren’t to afraid to speak their mind like General Mattis leading the Marine Corps. And sadly probably not the Army, Navy, or Air Force either.
I come in peace, I didn’t bring artillery. But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I’ll kill you all.
“However, the Obama administration did not think that this great Marine who has already had such a great impact on the Corps was worthy of its top job.”
Does that surprise anyone? Bueller?
Obama wants ass kissers, not warriors.
Mattis is da man! Ballz the size of tires!
Actually, they had three amazing leaders to choose from:
Mattis, Dunford and Allen.
And they chose, as you wrote, the guy who they think won’t rock the boat.
The Marines do, indeed, deserve better.
I would probably put Commandant Al Gray up there with Mattis as well. Other than that spot on.
Shades of the “hollow force” all over again. Christ, and I thought the PC-bullshit that drove me out under Clinton was bad.
You can tell a lot about a Commandant by the president who appoints him. Look at Gen Jones… Appointed Commandant by Bill Clinton, now Obamao’s Chief A** Kisser in Charge of All Things Military.
Glad I’m retired.
Man, this is depressing. We need more like Mattis and less like Amos, or worse, Jones and Casey.
As a former grunt, you have my condolences. I’ve seen, with my own eyes and experience, what political hacks, put in command, do to elite formations.
It very, very, seriously sucks.
That’s what you get when you have a commie in the White House, especially when he’s also a muslim. His goal is not to win but get the troops bogged down. BHO wants to bring down the US. He is a traitor. I question where Gen Jones and Sec Gates true loyalties lie. The object of war is to kill and defeat the enemy. All services need more flag officers like Gen Mattis and Chesty. Am retired Army, and even I can see that the Marine Corps is being screwed.
Thanks Dan, now I am well and truely depressed. Mattis is a true alpha male. BHO and his circle are not. They are intimidated by real men. I wish more men had the attitude that men who hit women have no manhood. The world would be a better place.
I agree most folks in all branches of the military probably like a leader like Mattis. Coercing the USMC into PC is a primary goal of the liberals leftists and communists running this country temporarily (and I mean temporarily). PCing the USMC is a major coup. They are a loyal, faithful, hard fighting, do or die outfit. To PC them is a victory for the left and the Code Pinkers out there. Marines-kick ass and take names, even if you have to do it on the sly temporarily.
what Susan said
One of your better posts, Dan. But so flippin’ depressing. We have JAG setting ROE, Lawyers drooling over the opportunity to represent the ENEMY, and a Commander-in-Chief who is NOT one.
Schools in the USA cannot flunk students, Valedictorian is a thing of the past, (cuz not all can be that, so don’t upset the slackers), wearing a US Flag design can get a student sent home from school, taking down a Meskin flag can get a student expelled. And, we can still call ourselves America the Beautiful?
“IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE VIENNA TAKE FUCKING VIENNA.” Amen
Marine83,
Al Gray definitely is up there with Mattis and Puller. A lot of his ideas about training and employment of the Marine Corps are still prevelant today.
With all genuine respect, let the ass-kisser go where ass-kissing is useful, and keep the best field commanders rotating between the field and the schools.
Just pray that the guy with the political savvy is smart and loyal enough to protect and provide for those in his care. It is a job that requires some specialized skills that are not the same as winning in battle.
During Desert Storm, I was attached to 1/7 and was at several sand tables presided over by the Bn CO, Lt Col Mattis. He was definitely the same type of Marine leader as Al Gray and Chesty Puller. Good post, Dan.
Hopefully Gen. Amos will remember that he’s suppose to be a “RIFLEMAN FIRST”. Frankly I’m sick of this PC crap inundating every aspect of our society. God bless Gen Mattis, the Marine Corps and Chesty where ever you are. Best of luck to Gen Amos, I have a feeling he’s gonna need it. And would somebody please put a boot of Mullin’s ASS. I’m not even gonna comment on our CinC at this time.
Sorry that was suppose to be… UP Mullins ASS. Also whats the old saying about training and equiping for the “Last War fought? Someone help me out, where did the quote about Vienna orginally come from? Senior Moment, gotta get back on the Ginko Baloaba.
SSG Dirty Al – I think it has to do with the battles for Vienna with the Ottoman Empire.
That little sawed-off French bastard said “If you start to take Vienna, take Vienna.”
And he did.
Is it not coming time for all of us, current and retired, to REMEMBER OUR OATH? I’ll leave it at that.
When I was in the Army I saw good Soldiers, NCO, Tops, and others. But once it got to Battalion level, and many even at Company level latter on, they were nothing but career minded pussies.
Yeah, I know, I spoke out against the war. But as you can see by how I feel about the anti-war movement I’m not some ultra soft, tear down the Military type.
One of many reasons why I left the Army is that everytime we got talk to our leadership, Battalion Officer, NCO, Brigade level, and even meet and ask questions with the CSM of The Army Preston, every Solider came back saying the same thing:
“This is the asshole who leads us?”
Preston is a politician and he can kiss my ass. It’s not because he’s a boss-man or his rank, it’s that he’s gutless.
I can’t imagine life w/out Marines.
“Amos also doesn’t have a problem with political correctness like Mattis does.”
What you meant to say is General Amos will support Gates and Mullens when they implement allowing gays to openly serve in the military. The best days are soon to be over. There will not be a place for great warriors like Gen. Mattis. They will be relics of the past as we go through a social experiment that will not go well. Close your eyes and imagine this “Two Marines walking around the base holding hands”.
I don’t like it that Mattis didn’t get picked.
But to call any Marine, especially a Marine General an ass kisser, is crazy. You don’t get promoted to General by being an ass kisser.
A politician maybe, but not an ass kisser. You want to say that to his face?]
Semper Fidelis,
Tipy
“You don’t get promoted to General by being an ass kisser.”
Oh man, if I wasn’t at work I’d grab some of my history books and get crackin’ but I honestly wouldn’t be sure where to even start.
Casey, I had the fortune of serving under some of the finest leaders in the Army. Top was the shit; a true leader and teacher. Our CO was a no nonsense type that hated the politics and would grouse about it openly. Our Bn CO was another inspirational leader, who led from the front and backed his troops to his superiors, plus when he got out in front of the Bn and gave a talk, by the time he was done you were ready to follow him down to put a foot in Satan’s ass. We had very good morale because we knew that our leadership would back us if we were right and stomp us if we were wrong. I learned a lot from them and many of the lessons they taught I still carry today.
Folks, the Corps will weather this storm of crap and demcong nonsense just as it has weathered all the previous ones. Remember, just 60 years ago, another pissant democrat president, that little weasel Truman, tried to fuck over the Corps and we handed him his ass over it, not to mention saving the Pusan perimeter to make him look even more like a dumbass. Nobama isn’t even as bright as Truman was, although they share a hatred of the Corps in common. We will get past his ignorant silly ass too. Semper fi and Semper gumby.
First of all, General Amos is a first rate Marine Corps Officer! (Disclaimer, I worked for General Amos in NATO STRKFORSOUTH, Naples Italy, but I also worked for General Mattis as an Air Officer in one of the battalions in the 7th Marine Regiment.) The Marine Corps will do well with him as Commandant. General Mattis is a war fighter, to see him hamstrung at the Commandant, instead of hopefully as the CENTCOM Commander, would be a shame. The role of the Commandant is to Operate, Train and Equip, the Corps. Mattis deserves better and CENTCOM should be his next duty assignment! Would Mattis be a strong voice for the Corps, hell yes. Would he a benefit as a member of the Joint Chiefs? Abso-freaking-lutely!
Mattis was my battalion commander too and there is nobody I would rather serve with than him.
It is truly amazing how history repeats itself. My only fear is are there any members of Congress who still hold the Marines in high regard? I remember meeting Gen. Gray back in 1987. I still remember the fire in his eyes that showed his determination to make the Marines the best damn military service in the world!
There is a long history of the CMC being an infantry commander and the ACMC being a pilot and former air wing commander. That Obama and Gates would buck this tradition is pure and unadulterated bullshit.
Every Marine is taught that the whole mission of the Marine Corps is to “locate, close with, and destroy the enemy through fire and maneuver; or repel the enemy assault through fire and close combat.” The wing and the MLG exist only to support the division in accomplishing that mission. That is why the CMC is an old grunt and the ACMC is an old pilot. Why would a guy who has made a career of essentially being support personnel be put in charge of the whole show? He made a good impression when I met him in Iraq in 2005 while he was the II MEF commander, but I seriously doubt he possesses the same expertise as General Mattis.
I don’t doubt that Amos is capable, but he is probably not the best person to go up against Gates. Retired Air Winger, I just read a news article about Gates wanting to not just kill a new amphibious assault vehicle, but the entire concept of Marines doing amphibious assaults in the first place. Gates wants to take the soul out of the Marines, and I think Mattis would make that Gates’ every day of existence as SecDef a living hell. General Conway already caught hell in the media for bucking the President on DADT. Think of what Mattis would say to that epic failure of a President. I get the impression the President wants his “yes men.”
I was an Air Wing Marine but still would rather have a Grunt as Commadant. The Infantry is the Tip of the Spear and we are all behind them but they are the heart of the Corps and therefore should be led by people like Gen. Mattis.
First off I must say it was a great pleasure to serve under one of the Top leaders (Gen Mattis) in the Marine Corps. And I will add to the statements above…. There our leaders who we must follow by rank and position. and there our leaders that you want to follow who know what they our doing and will win in life and battles of all sorts and General Mattis is that leader. This is just another sign of our weak president and staff… Well if you ask me, everything happens for a reason and just maybe Genneral Mattis will run for president, I sure hope so!!!!
Gates is simply setting up the next team that will take over his legacy shortly since he will leave us after the November 2010 elections. He will not have to fight the new Commandant but his phoney President will. This is much like having MacNamara trade off his BS party line about “light at the end of the tunnel in Viet Nam” so he could move to head the World Bank as his reward for screwing the troops for his political Master. We just don’t know what plum Barry Obama will toss Gates yet. We can be sure that this is all going to bear badly for the Nation and Constitution we pledged to protect. God bless the Corps, the Commandant, and the Nation!…and let this White House crowd go with the guy from the hotter climate. McNamara will be waiting for them there.
AFter watching Obama apologize to the Muslim world for American “misdeeds,” soft-soaping (without effect) Iran and North Korea, bowing to all and sundry, insulting the leaders of Britain and Israel, and mistreating Generals Mattis and McChrystal, we can conclude that his motto is “No worse friend, no better enemy.”
Hows about we get rid of the Army and keep the Marines.
I served under then Col.Chester Puller. To see Mattis’ name mentioned in the same paragraph as Chesty’s means I would follow him anywhere.