At a press conference this week, a reporter suggested to Defense Secretary James Mattis that the decision to send troops to the border was a politically-motivated “stunt.” That reporter quickly learned why they call him the “Mad Dog.”
The decision to send our troops to the border to protect against the threat of the impending migrant caravan was the clear and obvious next step in preventing what could amount to a national security crisis. This was not a political move; it is President Donald Trump’s most important job to ensure the safety of American citizens, and he is doing just that.
But, of course, the usual suspects have alleged that the decision to send troops to the border was no more than a politically-motivated stunt. “Why send the military in now, so soon before the November midterm elections, when the caravan still has 1,000 miles to cover?” they asked.
The answer to that question ought to be obvious. For starters, the migrants could be aided on their journey with the help of buses and trucks, which allow them to travel much faster than they would be able to on foot. If they are driven to the U.S. border, they could complete the journey in a matter of days.
Moreover, the military needs time to prepare once they reach the border. They must coordinate with the Border Patrol officers they’ve been sent to support and establish a plan of action. It would make absolutely no sense to send them in only hours before the migrants arrive, thereby causing them to scramble to prepare.
And then, there’s the fact that actually having the military in place is arguably the best deterrent we have against the migrants at this point in time. Many of them have already decided to turn back around and go home — a wise decision when you consider the fact that these untrained and unskilled immigrants will have to face the most formidable military in the world if they continue on their journey.
Despite the abundant reasons to send in the U.S. military now, instead of later, a reporter insisted that the move was no more than a politically-motived “stunt.” But, Mattis’ response shut that reporter up real quick. “We don’t do stunts in this department. Thank you,” responded the Defense Secretary, according to Fox News.
The moniker “Mad Dog” was actually bestowed upon Mattis by the press – it is not a name his close friends use to address him – so this reporter was well aware of who she was dealing with when she embarked on her bogus line of questioning.
Mattis earned his nickname after he made several comments which struck fear into the hearts of the fragile snowflakes in the liberal media. He explained as much during his Senate confirmation hearing:
Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis addressed his “Mad Dog” nickname at his Senate confirmation hearing for defense secretary on Thursday.
“That nickname was given to me by the press, and some of you may have experienced similar occasions with the press where perhaps they didn’t get it quite right,” Mattis said during his testimony.
Mattis acquired the nickname “Mad Dog” — a moniker that is not used by people who know him, friends say — after he made comments such as “be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet” and “a good soldier follows orders, but a true warrior wears his enemy’s skin like a poncho.” [Source: CNN]
Clearly, this is not a man you want to mess with. However, according to former Defense Secretary William Cohen, Mattis’ courage is his greatest attribute, not his formidable reputation.
“I want to say he has the nickname of ‘Mad Dog’ — it’s a misnomer. It should be ‘Braveheart’ because what really characterizes Jim Mattis is his courage,” Cohen remarked at his colleague’s confirmation hearing. “Men and women in all services love this man.”
We have a deep regard for our defense secretary as well and love seeing him put liberal members of the media in their places.
