In Union There Is Strength: A Statement by Jim Mattis
I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled. The words “Equal Justice Under Law” are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind. We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers. The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values—our values as people and our values as a nation.
When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens—much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside.
We must reject any thinking of our cities as a “battlespace” that our uniformed military is called upon to “dominate.” At home, we should use our military only when requested to do so, on very rare occasions, by state governors. Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society. It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect, and of which they themselves are a part. Keeping public order rests with civilian state and local leaders who best understand their communities and are answerable to them.
James Madison wrote in Federalist 14 that “America united with a handful of troops, or without a single soldier, exhibits a more forbidding posture to foreign ambition than America disunited, with a hundred thousand veterans ready for combat.” We do not need to militarize our response to protests. We need to unite around a common purpose. And it starts by guaranteeing that all of us are equal before the law.
Instructions given by the military departments to our troops before the Normandy invasion reminded soldiers that “The Nazi slogan for destroying us…was ‘Divide and Conquer.’ Our American answer is ‘In Union there is Strength.’” We must summon that unity to surmount this crisis—confident that we are better than our politics.
Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.
We can come through this trying time stronger, and with a renewed sense of purpose and respect for one another. The pandemic has shown us that it is not only our troops who are willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of the community. Americans in hospitals, grocery stores, post offices, and elsewhere have put their lives on the line in order to serve their fellow citizens and their country. We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution. At the same time, we must remember Lincoln’s “better angels,” and listen to them, as we work to unite.
Only by adopting a new path—which means, in truth, returning to the original path of our founding ideals—will we again be a country admired and respected at home and abroad.
WNU Editor: The former Defense Secretary lost me when he compared President Trump to the Nazis. For a person who prides himself with history, he is appallingly ignorant on what Nazism really is.
More News On Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Statement On President Trump
James Mattis Denounces President Trump, Describes Him as a Threat to the Constitution -- Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic
Ex-defense chief Mattis rips Trump for dividing Americans -- AP
After long silence, Mattis denounces Trump and military response to crisis -- Reuters
BREAKING NEWS: Former defense secretary Jim Mattis compares Donald Trump to NAZIS, accuses him of 'mockery of the Constitution' and 'abuse' of power and slams 'military leadership' for taking part in 'bizarre photo-op' -- Daily Mail
Former Pentagon chief Jim Mattis says Trump trying to 'divide' America -- France 24
Mattis goes after Trump: The president ‘tries to divide us’ -- Politico
Former Defense Secretary Mattis breaks silence and tears into Trump: ‘He tries to divide us’ -- CNBC
'He tries to divide us': Former Defense Secretary Mattis compares Trump's protest response to Nazi tactics -- NBC
'We Can Unite Without Him': Former Defense Secretary Slams Trump as Threat to US Constitution -- Sputnik
17 comments:
It’s a sensational headline, but Mattis point on division v unity is not invalidated because of the connotation of division to a Nazi philosophy. He is a well studied General with a long list of achievements, and a very metered individual. A statement of his should speak volumes, and it rightly does.
Mattis is supposed to a be a refined, polished, urbane ...
"He is noted for his interest in the study of military history and world history,[32][33] with a personal library that once included over 7,000 volumes"
I believe that Laozi wrote:
It is better to read 1 book a 1,000 times than to read 1,000 books 1 time.
Mattis could have read all those books and not quite given enough thought to a number of them.
I see that Mattis was never a 2nd lieutenant under fire. When you travel as a regimental commander, your life is at risk, but it is not quite the same as O3 and below. It is HQ and similar to every other REMF.
“The Nazi slogan for destroying us…was ‘Divide and Conquer.’ Our American answer is ‘In Union there is Strength.’” - Mattis
Well that is rather simplistic for a deep thinker. So we have the supposed NAZI way and American way per Mattis.
What about the French way? Divide you forces up and then have them converge (union) on a point.
Trump does not unite? Maybe many Democrats do not want to unite quite just yet. They still want a shot at winning and imposing their belief system and taxes to support their brats (Biden's, Reid's, Pelosi's, Clinton's, ...)
Governor Cuomo is called Grandma Killer or Governor Bloody hands, because of all the deaths in nursing homes he caused. Why would Republican/Conservatives use such 'inflammatory' language on the governor?
Because we remember all the times the Democrats have tried to unite with their messaging
'Grandma' thrown off cliff by Paul Ryan lookalike in anti-GOP Medicare advert made by The Agenda Project
www.politifact.com/factchecks/2011/may/25/agenda-project/throw-granny-cliff-asks-what-country-would-be-with/
When the US is not flood with a million new illegals every year, because of the wall. Maybe Democrat workers might thank Trump for jobs and wage increases. Trump would be uniting. He tries very hard. But he does not pander like the Democrats.
Mattis should grow up.
Question: How does a regimental commander show valor? Does he face down his bacon and eggs with a mean stare in the show hall?
General Mattis begin to lose me when he writes of dispersed peaceful protesters at Lafayette Park. The park police have debunked this. Then he becomes even more bizarre when he says we can't be distracted by a few lawbreakers. This is WAY more than a few lawbreakers. This not only represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation but he's essentially telling the victims of these lawbreakers they that they don't matter. I remember the general's bizarre resignation letter after Trump altered our failed Syria policy that he supported so this really shouldn't surprise me.
Sun Tzu he's definitely not. No wonder our foreign policy is a mess. People like him had a large role in formulating and implementing it further illustrating a need for a complete purging the leadership class. He is respected though by many. Perhaps this is w good man gone bad. I'm sorry to be so harsh toward the general.
To invoke the Insurrection Act or not to do so is a legitimate debate. At the time both POTUS and the Secretary of State appear to be in agreement now is not the time. If the state and local governments can get this under control then we can all relax. I am watching the news right now. While there's still problems, it does serm calmer. Perhaps the threat to invoke this act has spurred on state and local officials to work constructively to get this under control.
Unfortunately even if the rioting/looting stopped right now little has been done to infiltrate the leadership and arrests of the direct perpetrators hasn't even scratched the surface meaning they can start back up the rioting/looting at any time and place of their choosing. In such an environment, it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to build a business. Since ANTIFA and others of their ilk will simply take it away at a time of their choosing there's no point. While it shouldn't be surprising, the statements of general Mattis are deeply disappointing.
B. Poster
You are 100% right.
There's a part of that oath that he remembers so divinely that requires him to protect the nation against enemies both foreign AND DOMESTIC.
If the now very sanctimonious and self-righteous USMC Gen. James Mattis could see through his never-Trumper coke-bottles, he would perhaps realize that the threat to the constitution is not President Trump, but the people participating in the current insurrection.
They were called Brown Shirts back in the day. Now they all wear black.
Mad Dog/Warrior Monk Mattis has lost his compass.
If the police & national guard cannot or will not enforce the law, prevent serious wide spread public disorder, injury and death, then Trump is right to consider using the regular Army as a last resort. Innocent people have been killed. Senior citizens have been beaten in the street. A retired captain of police, who happens to be an African American, shot down while protecting his friends business. That man is a true American hero. If Mattis agrees with this & sides with the rioters, he has become the enemy within. I have lost all respect for Mattis. Its beginning to look like he is not a deep thinker but, as so many senior people in the organisations I've served in, an expert in self publicity & self promotion. Who's side is he on? Not the side of law & order or civilisation. Best of luck n keep ducking 🖖😎
To be beaten by such must be irritating and you are losing.
Mattis has lost me now with these over the top statements.
Another four-star general slams Trump: John Allen, who led fight in Afghanistan and against ISIS, warns of 'descent into illiberalism' over St. John's Church stunt after Jim Mattis compares president to Nazis
I just lost all my respect for him.
So? You're still losing.
Fuck James Mattis. He ruins whatever credibility he has in this Democrat Party inspired hit piece on President Trump. He goes down in history as a deep state operative, lacking courage to challenge the poisonous social conditions in America that keeps the black race there as virtual slaves on the Democrat Plantation. Blacks do not need appeasement, blacks need to stand on their own two feet and free themselves from the bondage of Democrat rule, which forever keeps them fighting white oppression which no longer even exists except in the minds of their Democrat owners, who use it to continually subjugate them.
Editor,
I am glad we are in agreement. You are very thorough. This means a great deal. With that said, I was not 100% accurate. Where it typed "Secretary of State" should have read "Secretary of Defense" but I'm pretty sure this was obvious from the context.
Anon (12:00PM),
Excellent analysis. There's little to add. Perhaps had the Insurrection Act been invoked this would have supplied those wishing to free themselves from the bondage. Perhaps this is why certain people went hysterical about this. With regards to the Insurrection Act no one very said anything about using them against legitimate protesters but instead to use them to combat the rioters/looters/ murderous thugs. I am concerned that the legitimate protesters aren't doing enough to expose the rioters in their midst. Maybe this is based upon fear or it could be that many of them sympathize with them even if they aren't actively involved. Many innocents have been murdered and had their lives utterly destroyed by these thugs and someone will one day want justice for them. This could lead to blowback against innocents leading to another vicious cycle. Perhaps if the Insurrection Act had been invoked this would have provided the necessary security for the peaceful protesters who genuinely want real change to be able to have the courage to expose the thugs in their midst.
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