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James Mattis

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Military Personnel

The Resume

    (September 8, 1950- )
    Born in Pullman, Washington
    James Norman 'Jim' Mattis
    Retired Marine Corps general
    Nicknamed 'Mad Dog Mattis,' 'Warrior Monk,' and 'Chaos'
    11th Commander of US Central Command/Unified Combatant Command (August 11, 2010, to March 22, 2013)
    Formerly NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (November 9, 2007 to September 8, 2009)
    Appointed US Secretary of Defense by President Donald J. Trump (Nov. 2016); confirmed by a 98–1 vote in the Senate (Jan. 20, 2017)

Why he might be annoying:

    He's a lifelong bachelor who not only has no children, but who allegedly has never even owned a television set.
    He has been accused of downplaying the severity of PTSD suffered by combat veterans, dismissing it as 'a fixation.'
    He openly opposed Ashton Carter's women in combat announcement, saying that to do so was 'not setting them up for success' (predictably angering feminist groups in the process).
    His nomination to Defense Secretary required a waiver from Congress (he had only been retired for three years, less than the required Title 10 seven years).
    He sparked controversy remarking, in 2005, that it was 'fun to shoot people' during tours of duty in Afghanistan.
    The 'shooting' comment wasn't exactly an isolated incident, though, given his reputation for hyperbolic, in some cases bone-chilling, proclamations.
    Two examples: 'I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with my, I'll kill you all' and 'Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.'
    A story assigning him credit for 'changing President Trump's mind' relative to the use of torture in counterterrorism efforts turned out to be false.
    Around the time of his appointment, an internet meme started circulating reading 'Fired by Obama to please the Muslims. Hired by Trump to exterminate them.' Although not directly affiliated with the site, that he declined to at least issue a statement denouncing a 'call for ethnic cleaning' struck some as troubling.
    Other, less explosive, memes began circulating focusing on his dead-pan 'no nonsense' expression indicating a hawkish foreign policy stance (including one identifying him as 'Saint Mattis of Quantico, Patron Saint of Chaos').

Why he might not be annoying:

    His mother worked in Army Intelligence in South Africa during the Second World War.
    His 'Chaos' nickname is actually an anagram ('Colonel Has an Outstanding Solution').
    Gen. Robert H. Scales described him as 'one of the most urbane and polished men I have known' (he's been known to quote Sun Tzu, Shakespeare, The Bible, President Grant, and General Patton).
    He is strategic genius/skilled diplomat who steers clear of partisan politics (you won't find him joining any 'lock her up' chants any time soon).
    Despite his 'larger than life' 'Mad Dog' persona, he has been known to thoroughly educate his Marines in cultural sensitivity and risk-management before sending them onto the battlefield.
    He wiped the floor with New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand when she attempted to stump him during his Confirmation Hearing (she had made public her intention to block his nomination by preventing the granting of a waiver).
    He was deeply critical of the Obama administration's Middle East policies, but was not supportive of Trump's call to 'tear up' the Iran Nuclear Deal, either.
    He also differed sharply with Trump on the geopolitical threat of the Russian Federation, arguing that it poses a serious danger to national security where Trump has gone on record praising Vladimir Putin.
    He asked that he not be addressed as 'Mad Dog' after officially assuming the Defense Secretary post.
    During his first full day as Defense Secretary, he oversaw 31 military strikes against ISIS, including targeted runs from fighters, bombers, and remote-operated drones.
    He later clarified his remarks on women in combat, saying: 'It would only be someone who never crossed the line of departure into close encounters fighting that would ever even promote such an idea.'

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 147 Votes: 44.90% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 31 Votes: 38.71% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 153 Votes: 45.10% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 130 Votes: 43.08% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 302 Votes: 50.66% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2534 Votes: 41.32% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 493 Votes: 51.32% Annoying