Marine General's Blunt Comments Draw Fire

[docwebster]

SAN DIEGO -- At a panel discussion in San Diego Tuesday, a top Marine general tells an audience that, among other things, it is "fun to shoot some people."

The comment, made by Lt. Gen. James Mattis, came in reference to fighting insurgents in Iraq. He went on to say, "Actually, its a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. I like brawling."

"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for 5 years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis continued. "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."

--

What really depresses is this neanderthal actually got a smattering of laughter and applause.

Comments

[odanu.livejournal.com]

I have, but he's a truly extraordinary person. Blind and "two years past his deadline" from a terminal cancer that unexpectedly went into remission, this former Marine, and currently volunteers 16 hours a week to help blind veterans. He fought in Vietnam...started as a grunt and got out as an officer. Ended up as an attache to a General. Fixed some serious problems that were getting our soldiers killed by military stupidity...and had to be medically discharged when he developed diabetes as a direct result of Agent Orange exposure.

He is thoughtful, compassionate, a deeply spiritual Christian (as opposed to right-wing Christian nutjob) who I have never heard spout one ugly word of hate talk toward any population. I have worked closely with him for several hours a week since August on a project that benefits blind veterans.

I know only one other former Marine on an ongoing, and though stiff and formal, there is no hate in this man either. Please don't make negative generalizations about the quality of people who defend our country from the bad apples that are always in every barrel.

[beernotbombs.livejournal.com]

Please don't make negative generalizations about the quality of people who defend our country from the bad apples that are always in every barrel.

I don't believe it's a generalization if 100% of Marines and former Marines that I've met have had similar attitudes to the one docwebster posted about. My wife's father was a Marine and she claims that he apparently became kind of hippie-fied after he got out of the service. Since he died 12 years before I met my wife, however, I can't vouch for his change in philosophy.

My original point was that it takes a certain breed to be a Marine in the first place, as opposed to someone who chooses to enlist in the Air Force, Navy or, to a lesser extent, the Army. So, the stupid comments that the general made aren't at all surprising.

Cheers!
-g-

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Since you haven't met 100% of the Marines out there, it's still a generalization. You said "You pretty much have to have that mentality to be a Marine".

For your dataset, a friend of mine is also a Marine with a (less serious) medical discharge. He's a nice guy, a little undersocialized and rough around the edges, but overall very well balanced.

The only fighting he likes to do these days is with a saber or épeé...