Rumsfeld says he considers case closed for Marine Corps officer told to wa

[Judi Lynn]

Rumsfeld says he considers case closed for Marine Corps officer told to watch his words


ASSOCIATED PRESS
11:36 a.m. February 6, 2005

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Sunday he considers the case closed for a Marine Corps general told to watch his words after comments about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The officer said, "It's fun to shoot some people," and poked fun at the manhood of Afghans as he described the wars U.S. troops are fighting.

Lt. Gen. James Mattis, a career infantry officer who is now in charge of developing better ways to train and equip Marines, made the comments Tuesday while speaking to a forum in San Diego.
(snip)

Rumsfeld, asked Sunday about the matter, said: "The commandant of the Marine Corps said that he was concerned about the words, and he counseled with that individual, and as far as I can see, the matter is closed."
(snip/...)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20050206-1136-marinescomments.html
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[SodoffBush]

1. Ever watch "Harold and Maude?"

Mattis is the real life version of Harold's Uncle Victor.

[Name removed]

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[tkmorris]

3. You don't eh?

Well I do.

To me the issue here isn't so much what he actually said. What bothers me is that this is clearly how he feels how he thinks. It's a window into the mind of a man charged with commanding our military personnel.

He can guard his words more carefully, but what good does that do really? He still thinks this way and that in and of itself renders him extremely unqualified for the position he holds. He is incapable of treating Iraqis with respect and that by itself puts the soldiers under him in danger. A certain less than humane attitude might be acceptable in a grunt but in a general it's dangerous and stupid.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. i concur ! this man revealed his inner mind and both him and Rummy......

have been proven to be UNFIT FOR COMMAND!!!

[indepat]

5. Except in a totalitarian state?

[mariema]

6. I'm just curious

What do you think would happen to you (as someone in the service who is, I'm assuming, in a lower rank than general) if you spoke in a public forum as this man has? Would you feel comfortable saying what he said in front of a crowd of civilians?

My husband (25 years in service, combat vet in 2 wars)says he would have been slapped down hard and fast if he expressed such sentiments to a large group of civilians and it was reported in the news(Not that he shares the general's sentiments).

[Name removed]

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[True_Blue]

8. He sounded like a Nazi death camp soldier

Just the kind of guys Bush needs to pursue his agenda of world domination.

[tabasco]

9. A pathetic attempt at bravado by an aging man.

Trying to look like a tough guy in a room full of execs and wives. Pretty pathetic. A LTG hasn't fired a shot in anger in decades.

Any officer who really thinks combat is fun has never been there or is too senile to remember.

[0007]

10. Lt. Gen. James Mattis and General Boykins are two sick

crude uncouth men. And we wonder why the world hates us.

[Supersedeas]

16. but Rummi assures us that they have been 'counseled'

[Rex]

11. Rummy the Mummy

If his troops want to shoot people for fun, well, who is he to stop them, he LOVES death.

[Disturbed]

12. He should have been asked...

how many people has he shot and killed for fun in the past year or so.

If a murderer was interviewd on TV and said "Shooting some people is fun." I believe that most viewers would be appaled.

[Rex]

13. That's why I call war 'state sanctioned murder'.

Civilized? Hardly.

[Judi Lynn]

14. Better believe it! They'd form a lynch mob!

http://www.zdf.de/ZDFde/img/6/0,1886,2255270,00.jpg

[Judi Lynn]

15. Damn! I got back too late to be able to exchange a photo in post #14

for this one. I had planned to take down the horribly large Ms. Rumsfeld, and put this one in its place. You've got to express your respect when you feel it!