Mattis out!

[kona]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-s...344800?mod=mhp

[kona]

U.S. Weighs Sharp Pullback of Troops From Afghanistan https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-a...wn-11545341452

[Swordsmyth]

Good, now let's see who he replaces him with.

It can't be a coincidence that this happened after Trump ordered the military to pull out of Syria, hopefully this will mean more pullouts coming soon.

[oyarde]

I want everyone out of Afghanistan .

[Swordsmyth]

I didn't see this:

U.S. Weighs Sharp Pullback of Troops From Afghanistan https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-a...wn-11545341452

When I posted this:

Good, now let's see who he replaces him with.

It can't be a coincidence that this happened after Trump ordered the military to pull out of Syria, hopefully this will mean more pullouts coming soon.

[Swordsmyth]

I want everyone out of Afghanistan .

Hopefully we will see that soon.

[Swordsmyth]

[kona]

I didn't see this:


When I posted this:

Trump is cascading the good news right now.

[kona]

Ted Lieu crushing it last two days.

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1...936031744?s=19

[oyarde]

Mattis leaving March 01 . Today ,Britain deploying troops to airport at south of London due to interference with drone activity . All Thurs flights cancelled stranding thousands of holiday travelers .

[Brian4Liberty]

Queue the hysteria from the neocon left.

Zippy must be busy working out the talking points.

[RonZeplin]

Must be bucking for the Nobel Peace Prize.

[Swordsmyth]

Must be bucking for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Is there anything Trump could do that you wouldn't criticize?

[Swordsmyth]

Ted Lieu crushing it last two days.

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1...936031744?s=19

Don't read the replies, your head may explode.

[euphemia]

I have been telling you all the President has been asking for justification for occupying so many places. He is not getting satisfactory answers and is ordering these drawdowns.

[kahless]

Syria, Afghanistan and now Mattis comments no doubt will have the war mongers in the news media and in both parties in total meltdown. Break out the popcorn, should be good for a few laughs and some good memes coming out from their breakdown.

[Origanalist]

U.S. Weighs Sharp Pullback of Troops From Afghanistan https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-a...wn-11545341452

%&&^*^*%&^%*(^*()&*)*(^ing WSJ paywall.........like we won't get the news ayway.

[Origanalist]

Don't read the replies, your head may explode.

Mattis resignation letter..

[RonZeplin]

Is there anything Trump could do that you wouldn't criticize?

That's not criticism. If this all happens it's good. Trump would deserve a Nobel if he gets us out of two wars. A lot more than Carter & Obama who did essentially nothing for peace.

[specsaregood]

%&&^*^*%&^%*(^*()&*)*(^ing WSJ paywall.........like we won't get the news ayway.

Next time, go to outline.com and paste the URL.
Presto.

http://outline.com/UGYzMu

[Origanalist]

Don't read the replies, your head may explode.

Yep, he's getting pilloried hard. See what conviction and principles will get you in the land of intervention.

[Swordsmyth]

Mattis resignation letter..

He says we shouldn't be playing World Kop and then he advocates for doing it.

[oyarde]

If you guys do not get The Wall Street Journal , how are you going to make any money in 'Merica ?

[Origanalist]

Next time, go to outline.com and paste the URL.
Presto.

http://outline.com/UGYzMu

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't get anything more there than the original link.

[Origanalist]

He says we should be playing World Kop and then he advocates for doing it.

Yep. Goodbye and good riddance.

[Origanalist]

If you guys do not get The Wall Street Journal , how are you going to make any money in 'Merica ?

Working and continually upgrading my equipment?

[kona]

Sorry fellas...

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-a...wn-11545341452

Trump Administration Is Considering Substantial Afghan Troop Drawdown

Drawdown could begin in several weeks, officials say






U.S. troops patrolling at an Afghan National Army base in Afghanistan’s Logar province in August. PHOTO: OMAR SOBHANI/REUTERS



82 COMMENTS
By Gordon Lubold and
Jessica Donati

Updated Dec. 20, 2018 4:48 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is actively considering plans for a significant drawdown of American troops in Afghanistan that could begin in as soon as several weeks, multiple officials said, in the start of the conclusion of the 17-year U.S. war effort.
Word of the plans came a day after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, an unexpected announcement that surprised many at the Pentagon.

Under the plans being considered, troops could begin to return home from Afghanistan as early as January, officials said.


Officials at the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command declined to comment. There are currently more than 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Mr. Trump announced Wednesday that he would pull all of the more than 2,000 American troops from Syria, a decision that wasn’t supported by the Pentagon or the State Department.
“I think it shows how serious the president is about wanting to come out of conflicts,” a senior U.S. official said of how the Syria decision has affected his thinking on Afghanistan. “I think he wants to see viable options about how to bring conflicts to a close.”
—Nancy A. Youssef in Washington and Craig Nelson in Kabul contributed to this article.
Write to Gordon Lubold at Gordon.Lubold@wsj.com and Jessica Donati at jessica.donati@wsj.com

[Anti Globalist]

Wonder who is going to replace him?

[Swordsmyth]

News of Mattis' upcoming departure shocked some lawmakers, who scrambled to decipher the reasoning behind it.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., praised Mattis' work ethic, admitting "he will not be easy to replace."
"For the sake of our national security I hope his decision to resign was motivated solely by a desire to enjoy a well deserved retirement," he added in a tweet.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., called the announcement "scary."
"Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration. As we’ve seen with the President’s haphazard approach to Syria, our national defense is too important to be subjected to the President’s erratic whims," Warner wrote on Twitter, sharing a copy of Mattis' resignation letter.
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, thanked Mattis for his lifetime of service, which, he said we've "benefitted immensely" from.
"As #SecDef, he has led efforts to rebuild our military, defeat #ISIS & keep the American people safe. He is a patriot and I thank him for his service," he said.
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., said Mattis was truly an "American hero."
After reading Mattis' letter to the president, Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., emphasized Mattis' words.
"In his resignation letter, Mattis wrote that Trump has “the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on issues including 'treating allies with respect,'" Beyer repeated, calling the letter a "stunning rebuke."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- S.C., announced Mattis' departure in "sadness" Thursday, calling him one of the country's greatest military leaders.
"General Mattis is a combination of intellect and integrity. He has been in the fight against radical Islam for decades and provided sound and ethical military advice to President Trump. He is a role model for the concept of Duty, Honor, Country," Graham added.
Graham recently blasted Trump for his decision to pull troops out of Syria, calling it an "Obama-like decision." In return, Trump fired back at the politician — who has voiced his support for the administration in the past — in a tweet, saying it was difficult to understand why Graham would be against saving countless lives.
"So hard to believe that Lindsey Graham would be against saving soldier lives & billions of $$$. Why are we fighting for our enemy, Syria, by staying & killing ISIS for them, Russia, Iran & other locals? Time to focus on our Country & bring our youth back home where they belong!" Trump tweeted.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, suggested it was "safe to assume" Mattis disagrees with Trump's withdrawal of troops from Syria.
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, credited Mattis for rebuilding the nation's military and his commitment to making the world safer.
"Our military has been rebuilt under Secretary Mattis's leadership. He has been a strong partner in working with Congress as a force of reason to robustly support our troops in grave and perilous times," Turner tweeted.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., used the announcement to fire at Trump.
"Old Marines never die, but they do resign after the President ignores their advice, betrays our allies, rewards our enemies, and puts the nation’s security at risk. Turn out the lights when Mattis leaves; we will not see his like again while Trump remains in office," he tweeted, sharing Trump's tweet announcing Mattis' departure.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., pointed to potential fallout from Mattis stepping down.
"Just imagine the morale crisis at the Department of Defense right now, having sustained the 1-2 punch of the Syria reversal and Mattis resignation. Devastating," he wrote.
Murphy also called it a "security crisis."
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said Congress is "indebted" to Mattis for his service.
"With our country’s defense in his hands, we have become a safer America at home, and a more commanding force abroad. His patriotism and grit are matched only by his humility and graciousness," Ryan tweeted.
Trump said Thursday that Mattis' replacement "would be named shortly."
"During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting equipment," Trump tweeted. "General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!"

More at: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/def...asy-to-replace

[XNavyNuke]

It can't be a coincidence that this happened after Trump ordered the military to pull out of Syria, hopefully this will mean more pullouts coming soon.

Nope. Other deep things going on. It may have weighted the scale but Syria was a rather small weight. Much larger weight was HR 6157, the FY 2019 DOD appropriations. The Administration spent essentially zero political capital to get the fundamental maintenance and manning roadmap funded. SecDef has said repeatedly that he is about keeping the spear point sharp and, coming out of several previous years of Continuing Resolutions rather than appropriations, he expected support for his approach. He got jack sh^t. He waited until after the midterms. His stock price increase in my eyes. YMMV.

XNN