Mattis: No Military Collaboration with Russia

[DonViejo]

Source: The Daily Beast

Defense Secretary James Mattis said Thursday that the U.S. is not ready to collaborate militarily with Russia. Mattiss remarks come after Russian President Vladimir Putin asked for assistance in Syria and elsewhere. We are not in a position right now to collaborate on a military level, Mattis said at a NATO meeting in Brussels. But our political leaders will engage and try to find common ground or a way forward where Russia, living up to its commitments, will return to a partnership of sorts, here with NATO. Mattis added that Americas commitment to NATO is rock solid.

[link:http://redirect.viglink.com/?formatgo&jsonpvglnk_148726218960615&key0de604de366e10157cd309534403dfb2&libIdiz8lesbe0101k4gd000DLmodhfdws&lochttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2Fcheats%2F2017%2F02%2F16%2Fmattis-no-military-collaboration-with-russia.html%3Fvia%3Ddesktop%26source%3Dcopyurl&v1&outhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Frussia-issues-warning-to-u-s-ahead-of-key-military-meeting-1487237327&refhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2F&titleMattis%3A%20No%20Military%20Collaboration%20with%20Russia%20-%20The%20Daily%20Beast&txtRead%20it%20at%20WSJREAD IT AT WSJ]

###

Read more: http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/02/16/mattis-no-military-collaboration-with-russia.html?via=desktop&source=copyurl

---

UPDATE

Trump's defense chief sees no military collaboration with Russia

Feb 16 U.S. President Donald Trump's defense secretary on Thursday said he did not see the conditions for military collaboration with Russia, in a blow to Moscow's hopes for repairing ties with the United States following Trump's election.

"We are not in a position right now to collaborate on a military level. But our political leaders will engage and try to find common ground," Mattis told reporters after talks at NATO headquarters in Brussels. (Reporting by Phil Stewart)

###

http://www.reuters.com/article/usa-russia-mattis-idUSL1N1G10NL

[SHRED]

1. Why does he even have to say this?

Yeah that's rhetorical question but holy shit!

[atreides1]

2. If this is true?

Then why is General Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs going to Azerbaijan, to meet with his Russian counterpart?

http://www.abc-7.com/story/34506354/tillerson-dunford-to-meet-with-russian-counterpart


This would make it appear that either Mattis is lying or he's an idiot???

[hack89]

5. Separate issues

there have to be open lines of communications to ensure that US and Russian forces in Syria don't inadvertently come into conflict with each other. That doesn't mean that we will we planning and fighting a coordinated war together.

Deconfliction in Syria requires open communications at the highest levels.

[logosoco]

3. Being a very pro-peace person...I have to shout

STOP MAKING BUSINESS PEOPLE THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





(thank you for allowing my outburst, but I had to let it out!)

[Leghorn21]

4. But he also said he believes Russia has meddled in elections in numerous democracies, which I

just feel denotes a major/massive gulf between Mattis' and DFT's position??! I hate to use this word, but this just seems like a "huge" deal that's going to make dft turn from orange to red!!?:

Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday said that there was "very little doubt" Russia has attempted to interfere in democratic elections in the past.

"There is very little doubt that they have either interfered or attempted to interfere in a number of elections in democracies," Mattis said while answering questions at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

He added that he does not feel compelled to respond to Russian officials who were not pleased with his call to deal with Moscow from a position of strength.
 
"I have no need to respond to the Russian statement at all. NATO has always stood for military strength and protection of democracies and the freedoms we intend to pass on to our children," he said.

http://thehill.com/policy/international/319832-mattis-very-little-doubt-russia-has-interfered-in-elections