Opinion
USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- General Jim Mattis has served his country for his entire life. He is one of the most important and respected military leaders of the last half-century.
He also has the distinction of being the only person I know who has been fired by both Presidents Obama and Trump. In both cases, it was to the administration’s – and the country’s – detriment. However, in both cases, General Mattis also knew his duty was to the United States. That made him feel comfortable in disagreeing with his commander in chief.
I first knew General Mattis during the Iraq war under President George W. Bush, when Mattis was part of the Marine detachment in Kuwait. I was immediately impressed. I later watched him continually adjust and adapt in the battle of Fallujah, which led him to a decisive victory.
His 44-year career as a Marine, which began when he enlisted in 1969 at age 18, has been stunning. He led Marine forces on the ground in some of the most dangerous places on the planet – including Iraq in 1991 and 2003 and Afghanistan in 2001. His success eventually led him to become the Commander of all Marine Forces in the Middle East and later the Commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, NATO’s Supreme Allied Command for Transformation, and U.S. Central Command. His non-combat service for the Department of Defense has been equally impressive.
I have greatly enjoyed and deeply appreciated working with him as he has served as U.S. Secretary of Defense. Few people alive today have embodied valor, courage, and sheer patriotism that matches General Jim Mattis.
One of my fondest memories with General Mattis was drinking wine and talking with him for a few hours after a meeting with then-Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain. When I told Mattis about my grandson’s fascination with Waterloo, he told me that he had never fully understood the conflict until he had read the Sharpe novel series by Bernard Cornwell about a British officer fighting in the Napoleonic Wars, which I passed on to my grandson.
I have come to know General Mattis as a remarkable intellectual – and perhaps the best-read officer the Marine Corps has ever produced.
The respect for him at the Department of Defense is tremendous. The respect he has garnered around the world – from both our allies and enemies is breathtaking. Anyone who questions his patriotism or service is simply wrong.
General Jim Mattis is an American patriot. We should all be deeply thankful for the lifetime of service he has devoted to our country – and saddened that his service as Secretary of Defense has come to an end.
Your Friend,
Newt
P.S. My new book, Trump’s America: The Truth About Our Nation’s Great Comeback is out and available for order.
About Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich is well-known as the architect of the “Contract with America” that led the Republican Party to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in forty years. After he was elected Speaker, he disrupted the status quo by moving power out of Washington and back to the American people.
Gingrich Productions is a performance and production company featuring the work of Newt Gingrich and Callista Gingrich. Visit : www.gingrichproductions.com
Old Marine – sure, I’ll replace ex-General Mattis: I’ll shut down 100% of our bases around the world and bring home the troops and put them on our southern border. North and South Korea will be on their own, they’ll settle their differences without our help. Israel will be stripped of ALL military assistance and sent a bill for past assistance. Europe will be missing all of our army and air force installations with a bill sent to them for past assistance. I’ll install two men in a pup tent, at 100-yard intervals, from the Gulf of Mexico to the… Read more »
Does anyone remember the advice Mattis gave Trump on Cilil Unrest and the 2A? Where was Mattis’ support for his countrymen? Does anyone remember the times Mattis added to embarrassment of Trump and the US. He’s f@cking Globalist like Ike. Mattis, Ike just like Wilson only spoke up after they had been handed their hat.
Oldmarine >>> Grim This is off the subject of these comments and I apoligize to those who might be bored. I agree with you 100%. Some people need killing but there is always some who are pussies and always stick up for the bad guys. Makes you wonder if they really have a heart or just convincing themselves. Nobody worships generals that are good. they are respected. Disrespect for all officers is actually disrespect for your country. I am sure that former Army Officers such as Wild Bill is used to disrespect from shit-birds, whiners, and down right cowards. I… Read more »
Oldmarine >>> Nottinghill You can have your opinion but not built on fact but instead guess work. I am sorry sir but I reprieve that your experience is with the Army which is huge compared to the Corps. I can remember when we only had 5 four stars in the Corps. The Corps is to small for petty games of screwing someone over. Because the Corps is Small we get to know a lot of the other combatants including the Generals. If there is any squabbling is usually at company level. You joke about going in first well that’s because… Read more »
Oldmarine >>>> Wild Bill Hey, Bill I’ll tell you about Mattis, He is from the old school and has earned the nickname with Marines as ” The Warrior Monk “. The reason for that is because he is very much like Chesty Puller. There are “LEADERS” and then there are “leaders”. An old school leader is always in the front of his command. He has never been involved with the financial side of the military. His objective has always been to make his troops more lethal than the enemy. He dedicated his life to the study of warfare in all… Read more »
Most marines have sh!t for brains. Gyrine! That’s why they go in first. Jokes aside… just because he was general does not mean jack. If he served honorably… hoof@ckingrah! But Officers past the rank of 03 are lifers in it for the politics, the big pension and the base home comforts. If he was a useless dick. Then he was a useless career ending dick like a lot of occifers of high rank. Officers eat their own. Some enlisted too. How many command rank officers have ruined the lives of many of their own and untold numbers of enlisted. Hmmm… Read more »