"It's fun to shoot them"
The Marines have always prided themselves in focusing on combat first and always. "Every Marine a rifleman" is their eleventh commandment.

Unlike the other services, Marine recruiting has always emphasized that combat is central to their sense of identity and mission.

Maybe that's why US Marine Lt. Gen. James Mattis, speaking of fighting the enemy told a conference in San Diego Tuesday,

"Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's a [----] of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling," said Mattis.

"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said during a panel discussion. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a [----] of a lot of fun to shoot them."

Incredibly, there seems to have been some expectation in some quarters that the general would be reprimanded for these remarks. The commandant of the Corps, Gen. Michael Hagee, felt he had to comment on Mattis's remarks.

"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 said.

"I have counseled him concerning his remarks and he agrees he should have chosen his words more carefully," Hagee added.

Counseled him? For what? Hagee chickened out; comes from living in Washington too long. He should have remembered what the Marine Corps exists to do and, when asked about Mattis's speech, simply replied, "Seems about right to me."

"Americans simply will not face up to what war is all about. They want it to be nice." -- US Marine Chesty Puller, who entered the Corps as a private and retired as a lieutenant general after earning five Navy Crosses.

James Joyner observes,

It's unfortunate that so few people have a sense of humor these days. What Mattis said was funny and the spirit of what he said was true. Professional soldiers don't enjoy killing but they do feel good about fighting in a cause so obviously just as removing the despicable Taliban from power. Off-color humor and demeaning the manhood of the enemy is as old as warfare.

This is sure enough, and it's best to have generals who remember it.

Update: All you sniveling boo-hooers who are so shocked at what LTG Mattis said and that I would defend him - read what Ralph Peters has to say.

by Donald Sensing, 2/4/2005 06:02:45 PM. Permalink |