We are Going to Miss Mattis

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis appears slated to be replaced by President Trump. It has been predicted for several months as his influence appeared to wane with the arrival of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton. Trump signaled it during his October “60 Minutes” interview with Lesley Stahl. He bristled when it was stated Mattis explained the value of NATO. Trump aggressively asserted that he knew “more about it [NATO} than he does.” Trump applied one of his denigrating labels on to Mattis, calling him “sort of a Democrat,” an apparent reference to Mattis’ moderate approach and disagreement with Trump on a number of issues.

Mattis has been the alliance guy, which Trump definitely isn’t. As a lifelong military officer, he understands the value of friends in a fight. His most recent statements in the Persian Gulf (Manama, Bahrain) remind us why he will be missed.

In reference to the Khashoggi case, he reaffirmed the rule of law:

“Failure of any nation to adhere to international norms and the rule of law undermines regional stability at a time when it is needed most.”

He defended the Saudi and other alliances, but based them on trust and honesty:

“We must maintain our strong people-to-people partnership, knowing that with our respect must come transparency and trust…These two principles are vital for ensuring the continued collaboration we know is necessary for a safe, secure and prosperous Middle East.”

Mattis highlighted the importance of opposing Iran’s malevolent influence in the region and the fact Russia is not a substitute for America’s commitment. He argued for stability and unity over chaos and disruption. Not a preference always appreciated by the White House:

“We stand with our partners who favor stability over chaos, and we support unity of effort among our nations’ militaries in response to shared threats and challenges, for in such unity is the real power to set and to maintain peace.”

President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis in the Cabinet
 Room of the White House, March 8, 2018 | Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images