Marine General Counseled

Here is yet another example of how some folks in the USA (and the world) can't understand the warrior mentality. The following is an AP article entitled "Marine General Counseled Over Comments":

Feb 4, 8:00 AM (ET)

WASHINGTON
(AP) - A Marine Corps general with battle awards is being counseled to watch his
words more carefully after publicly observing that "it's fun to shoot some
people."

Lt. Gen. James Mattis, a career infantry office now in charge of developing
ways to better train and equip Marines, also made fun of the manhood of Afghans
during comments Tuesday while speaking at a forum in San Diego.

On Thursday, Gen. Mike Hagee, the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps,
issued a statement of regret about Mattis' remarks, saying they reflected "the
unfortunate and harsh realities of war."

According to an audio recording, Mattis had said, "Actually, it's a lot of
fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. ... It's fun to shoot some
people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling."

He added, "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for
five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got
no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."

His comments evoked laughter and applause from the audience. Mattis was
speaking during a panel discussion hosted by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, a spokeswoman for the general said.

Gen. Hagee's statement said, "Lt. Gen. Mattis often speaks with a great
deal of candor. I have counseled him concerning his remarks and he agrees he
should have chosen his words more carefully."

"While I understand that some people may take issue with the comments made
by him, I also know he intended to reflect the unfortunate and harsh realities
of war," Hagee's statement added.

Among Marines, Mattis is regarded as a fighting general and an expert in
the art of warfare. Among his decorations are the Bronze Star with a combat
distinguishing device and a combat action ribbon, awarded for close-quarters
fighting.

He is currently the commanding general of the Marine Corps Combat
Development Command in Quantico, Va., and deputy commandant for combat
development.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it
was up to Mattis to address his own comments, but he added, "All of us who are
leaders have a responsibility in our words and our actions to provide the right
example all the time for those who look to us for leadership."

Pace spoke to a Pentagon press conference. Defense Secretary Donald H.
Rumsfeld said he had not read Mattis' words and deferred to Pace.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil liberties group,
called on the Pentagon to discipline Mattis for the remarks.

"We do not need generals who treat the grim business of war as a sporting
event," said the council's executive director, Nihad Awad. "These disturbing
remarks are indicative of an apparent indifference to the value of human life."

Hey Mr. Awad, what is this crap about indifference to the value of human life? Have you ever been in combat? Apparently not, because if you had you would realize that it takes a certain bit of conditioning to be able to kill as a part of your job description. And make no mistake, being a combat Marine is not an easy job. One has to be a little "indifferent" about the value of human life if one is to return from combat without becoming psychologically scarred. One has to justify the taking of life in his own terms in order to maintain his own humanity. Men who are true warriors, like General Mattis, tend not to "sugar coat" the reality of it. I am sorry if you can't, or won't, understand the nature of war; but that's just the way it is and no amount of your whining and complaining will change it.

Part of the problem is our government's reluctance to grow some manhood and finally allow our Marines and soldiers to be warriors. Military men (and women) can't even sing cadence-calls (songs used to maintain a consistent pace while running in formation) that talk about killing and war any longer. What's up with that? I remember being able to sing blood-and-guts cadence when I came in, and the troops were motivated. Phrases like, "don't die for your country, kill the other poor bastard for his" are now only whispered for fear of being labeled an "extremist" or some other such nonsense. Now we are told it is "inappropriate" or "inconsiderate of others" if we teach our Marines and soldiers to be hard-charging killers. Give me a damn break. Warriors kill people and break things, period! Let them do it, let them talk about it, and let them do their business. Keep up the good work General Mattis and tell those pansies to stuff it where the sun don't shine.