Nothing in his office became him like the leaving it.

[jserraglio]

Dear Mr. President:

I have been privileged to serve as our country's 26th Secretary of Defense which has allowed me to serve alongside our men and women of the Department in defense of our citizens and our ideals.

I am proud of the progress that has been made over the past two years on some of the key goals articulated in our National Defense Strategy: putting the Department on a more sound budgetary footing, improving readiness and lethality in our forces, and reforming the Department's business practices for greater performance. Our troops continue to provide the capabilities needed to prevail in conflict and sustain strong U.S. global influence.

One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships. While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies. Like you, I have said from the beginning that the armed forces of the United States should not be the policeman of the world. Instead, we must use all tools of American power to provide for the common defense, including providing effective leadership to our alliances. NATO's 29 democracies demonstrated that strength in their commitment to fighting alongside us following the 9-11 attack on America. The Defeat-ISIS coalition of 74 nations is further proof.

Similarly, I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours. It is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model — gaining veto authority over other nations' economic, diplomatic, and security decisions — to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies. That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense.

My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues. We must do everything possible to advance an international order that is most conducive to our security, prosperity and values, and we are strengthened in this effort by the solidarity of our alliances.

Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position. The end date for my tenure is February 28, 2019, a date that should allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed as well as to make sure the Department's interests are properly articulated and protected at upcoming events to include Congressional posture hearings and the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in February. Further, that a full transition to a new Secretary of Defense occurs well in advance of the transition of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in September in order to ensure stability within the Department.

I pledge my full effort to a smooth transition that ensures the needs and interests of the 2.15 million Service Members and 732,079 DoD civilians receive undistracted attention of the Department at all times so that they can fulfill their critical, round-the-clock mission to protect the American people.

I very much appreciate this opportunity to serve the nation and our men and women in uniform.

Signed: James N. Mattis

[lennygoran]

Joseph did trump tell him to shut up or did he tell him to SHUT DOWN! Regards, Len

[jserraglio]

Joseph did trump tell him to shut up or did he tell him to SHUT DOWN!

Individual-1 doubtless didn't bother to read the letter. The moron probably thought that Mattis was gracefully retiring instead of launching a political broadside against him as in effect and functionally a traitor to his country. Word is Mattis immediately distributed 50 copies of the letter at the Pentagon. They don't call him 'Mad Dog' for nothing.

His "America First" aims, which can only be deferred but not undone so long as he holds office:
1. Withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
2. Effectively kill off NATO as a deterrent to Russian expansion.
3. Withdraw troops from South Korea.
4. Possibly withdraw troops from Germany, Italy, the UK and Japan.
5. Abandon the Kurds to Turkey, Syria to Russia and possibly even Taiwan to China.

Will no one rid us of this turbulent Lord of Chaos?

[lennygoran]

Will no one rid us of this turbulent Putinette?

Joseph still what absorbing TV news watching this has made for-wait till Jan 3 and after when the hearings start! I may have to curtail my trips into NYC so I can be home to watch the dramas unfolding. I sure got alarmed yesterday when I heard trump wanted Mitchell McConnell to use the nuclear option on the shutdown. Regards, Len

[jserraglio]

Joseph still what absorbing TV news watching this has made for-wait till Jan 3 and after when the hearings start! I may have to curtail my trips into NYC so I can be home to watch the dramas unfolding. I sure got alarmed yesterday when I heard trump wanted Mitchell McConnell to use the nuclear option on the shutdown.

Starting to emerge are multiple options for dumping this "functional traitor" (I heard Howell Raines, former NYT editor, so describe Mattis's letter's implicit view of him just yesterday). Most of them are not mutually exclusive and could be pursued simultaneously:

1. Hand down indictments now openly, or under seal to take effect when he leaves office. SDNY might do likewise. He could also be charged as an unindicted co-conspirator by either body.
2. Cut a resignation deal with prosecutors where he trades his office for a get-out-of-jail-free card. [Spiro Agnew caper]
3. Impeach him in the House to try to force a resignation, [Richard Nixon caper] I now think that's likely to happen, despite Speake Pelosi's reluctance.
4. Invoke the 25th Amendment.
5. Convict and remove him from office in the Senate [Bill Clinton caper] (Unlikely to happen at present, but if the GOP neo-cons pissed off about unilateral disarmament turn against him . . . who can say?).
6. Primary him on the GOP side in the 2020 primaries with the aim of undercutting him in the general [Ronald Reagan or Ted Kennedy caper]
7. Run a rightist independent in the 2020 general to siphon off enough votes to make it impossible for him to win reelection. [Ross Perot caper]

[lennygoran]

Joseph thanks for sending these choices. Right now another big concern of mine is the Attorney General issue. And of course I'm relishing what Mulvaney said!!! Regards, Len

" “Yes, I am supporting Donald Trump, but I’m doing so despite the fact that I think he’s a terrible human being.” Axios reports Trump was “furious” when he heard about the footage—he reportedly asked one adviser: “Did you know [Mulvaney] called me ‘a terrible human being’ back during the campaign?” A spokeswoman for Mulvaney dismissed the remarks as “old news” and said he changed his mind about Trump after they met."

[jserraglio]

Joseph thanks for sending these choices. Right now another big concern of mine is the Attorney General issue. And of course I'm relishing what Mulvaney said!!! Regards, Len

" “Yes, I am supporting Donald Trump, but I’m doing so despite the fact that I think he’s a terrible human being.” Axios reports Trump was “furious” when he heard about the footage—he reportedly asked one adviser: “Did you know [Mulvaney] called me ‘a terrible human being’ back during the campaign?” A spokeswoman for Mulvaney dismissed the remarks as “old news” and said he changed his mind about Trump after they met."

"Terrible human being"? No sweat. "Functional traitor" to our country (Raines's reading btw the lines of the Mattis Manifesto)? I am sweating profusely.

In the event that Trump manages to survive the next two years and runs again, I will probably request a GOP ballot and vote for whoever challenges Trump in the GOP primaries (Kasich? Flake? Sasse? Martinez?).

If only 20 neo-con Senate hardliners become willing to ally themselves with 47 Democratic senators, Trump can be convicted of HC & M and removed from office.