*****BREAKING***** Jim Mattis retiring

[DemocratSinceBirth]

God help us

[C_U_L8R]

1. Dissension over Syria

or just sick of Trump

[BigmanPigman]

5. He was FIRED!

Last edited Thu Dec 20, 2018, 07:13 PM - Edit history (1)

People on CNN and MSNBC who know him well have all said for an hour that he was "resigned" by tRump. He stayed since he was worried about what would happen if he left.

[Honeycombe8]

28. We probably won't find that out for a while. I suspect he really quit...

or it was mutual. The timing is suspicious. Right after Trump ordered troops withdrawn from Syria. We know that that was not likely Mattis' recommendation. So Mattis had a conference with him and gave him his resignation letter. That makes sense.

The White House will want to frame it that Trump "got rid of a dissenter." I don't think Trump would want to have to appoint a new Sec of Defense at this time, right after losing his chief of staff and with all the problems coming Trump's way.

But who knows? We'll find out eventually. We know we will NOT get the truth from Trump's camp.

[BigmanPigman]

31. We need to find out when he wrote his resignation letter,

before or after he found out he was told he was resigning.

[Honeycombe8]

32. Trump first referenced something like that months ago. He always does that.

But who knows?

The letter of resignation is out there somewhere. I just started looking for it.

[BigmanPigman]

33. I saw it but it just has the date, not the exact time he wrote it.

[Honeycombe8]

36. It's a work of art. He crafted this previously & had it ready to go.

He also talks a bit about defending and working w/our allies, Russia's authoritarian model, and other things. He nicely lays it all out there, for history.

[tblue37]

41. USA Today has it.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5656065-Resignation-Letter-From-Defense-Secretary-James.html

[Honeycombe8]

43. Thanks. I found it on CNN, too. He lays it all out there...diplomacy, our allies, Russia....

For history and as a message for the country, I suppose.

Wow. Bold.

We'll find out in time the behind the scenes drama.

[Honeycombe8]

34. The letter is dated today.

But of course, he probably wrote it beforehand, and just changed the date, or put in a date. It's pretty long. He didn't jot this out in an hour. He speaks of Russia's authoritarian model, too.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/20/politics/james-mattis-resignation-letter-doc/index.html

I think if he were ousted, there would be a replacement ready to go, and Mattis wouldn't be giving two months' notice.

[BigmanPigman]

37. You may be right. I am still skeptical though.

I don't trust anything/anyone these days. I wonder why?

[Johnyawl]

40. There's been talk of Mattis leaving since the midterms

I'm thinking this was an angry response to Trump fucking our Kurdish allies. Not talking to Mattis before announcing that, and the sheer stupidity of it would be a final straw with Mattis.

[Achilleaze]

2. Oh jeez. This is a huge mess the republicans have created for America

a huge stinking republican mess that all Americans must deal with.

hang on tight. It's going to get bumpy...

[skylucy]

11. +1000

[Initech]

21. It's all Fox News, the religious right, and AM hate radio's fault.

They helped stir the pot that created this mess.

[Pepsidog]

24. Very true

[Different Drummer]

30. Absolutely. n/t

[SergeStorms]

35. Our country is now run by right-wing talk radio.

25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45 25-45

[Initech]

38. And Fox News.

Shit if you're on their network for more than a day you can get a job with the Trump administration. It's a bullshit pipeline.

[StarryNite]

39. Yes, those entities were the enablers.

[BigmanPigman]

3. He just told people today that he was staying

since he was worried about what would happen if he left!!! He is being fired...NOT retiring!

[thesquanderer]

51. Do you have a reference for him telling people today that he was staying? thanks (n/t)

[BigmanPigman]

56. I would have to go through the videos from

Chuck Todd's show and CNN from 2:30-3:30 today. That is where I saw/heard it (that was also before Mattis released his letter). Someone else on DU posted it at the same time that I did too.

[Ilsa]

4. I wonder if yesterday was the final straw?

If he can't stop trump from making these idiot moves, like suddenly pulling out of Syria, then I guess he isn't effective enough to bother staying. I know I wouldn't want to be there.

[gratuitous]

6. Cuttin' and runnin'

A new Republican tradition.

[Zoonart]

7. Mattis out...WOW.

Things are happening really fast now.

[smirkymonkey]

8. A well oiled machine.

My ass.

[Grasswire2]

9. noooooooooooooooooooooo nt

[Ilsa]

10. Chuck todd: "...dropping a match on gasoline..."

[Quixote1818]

12. I am surprised Mattis lasted this long. Bolton probably wanted him gone more than anyone. nt

[sunonmars]

13. The whole admin is about to go right down the toilet, no one wants to work with him.

[Progressive dog]

14. They are spinning it as retirement

Mattis won't dare to contradict the orange creep.

[lpbk2713]

15. Wants to spend time with family.

Before he is incarcerated like all the other evil Trumpsters.

[lanlady]

17. except that he's unmarried

and has no kids, as far as I know. Oh well, maybe he has nieces and nephews he needs to spend time with.

[Vinca]

16. Does he know yet?

I heard Don announced it via tweet and sometimes the "retirees" are unaware.

[thesquanderer]

50. re: "sometimes the 'retirees' are unaware" -- kinda like Comey (n/t)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

18. OH, WONDERFUL. THE ONE SANE VOICE IS LEAVING.

It almost doesn't matter if he's fired or if he's going because he wants to go........

I trusted him.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

19. If Mattis couldn't ever manage to keep Trump straight, there's little loss.

Other than a portion of Mattis' dignity for taking the job in the first place.

[Johnyawl]

42. You're gonna think "little loss" if Tom Cotton gets the job

He's indicated he wants to be SecDef. With him and Bolton running thinks we'll be knee deep in blood in Iran PDQ.

[kskiska]

20. He was only hired because Trump liked his nickname

Mad Dog. Even Mattis hated it. all the grown-ups are gone now.

[James48]

22. My guess-

Putin told Hair Furor to :

Exit Syria
Fire Mattis
Fire Zinke
Fire somebody else-

Set fire to the Middle East
Destroy American democracy

And Hsir Furor is doing it all, as fast as he can.


What do you want to bet that Nirth Korea is about to take advantage of our dear leader?

[Honeycombe8]

25. Making his list. Checking it twice. We know who's been naughty, not nice. nt

[Honeycombe8]

23. Trump is on the warpath? Having another breakdown? Having a tantrum?

Why do people stay working for that guy? It's a thankless job and just results in insults, humiliation, and ultimately an ouster in a not nice way.

[Lonestarblue]

26. Mueller, please indict Trump NOW!

We need to stop this ignorant, infantile bomb thrower before he decides to blow up the government or start WWIII.

[WeekiWater]

27. Defense Secretary?

I think it should also be noted he is claiming it was for disagreements with Trump. That makes it a big dea for multiple reasons.

[guillaumeb]

29. There is only so much insanity a person can take.

Pence obviously has a high tolerance for insanity.

[StarryNite]

54. Pence is expecting to take over.

[guillaumeb]

55. Mueller might have other ideas. eom

[Demovictory9]

44. Cant blame him

[guruoo]

45. Wouldn't surprise me if trump secretly wishing for Santa Claus to deliver him a SECDEF that

would be open to the domestic use of military force to defend his Presidency.

[Farmer-Rick]

46. That shoud make Putin happy

Maybe Trump can hire a Russian to replace Mad Dog.

[watoos]

49. Already have one in mind, Steven Segal.

[Ellipsis]

47. It's a fucking goat rodeo.

How putinesque.

[watoos]

48. Mattis told Trump he disagreed with withdrawing troops from the ME.

He basically was telling his CIC that he wouldn't carry out his order. So call it resignation or call it being fired, Jim Mattis was ousted, he doesn't quit.

[maryellen99]

57. Also according to Bob Woodward's Fear Mattis stopped Trump from pulling out of KORUS nt

[The Genealogist]

52. I hope his resignation letter includes a couple of hundred suggestions on where Trump can shove it

[IronLionZion]

53. God can't help us

we are going to have to help ourselves by electing better government leaders so that a travesty like Trump doesn't happen again.