The Obama administration's inexplicable mishandling of Marine Gen. James Mattis

During the summer, the Best Defense is in
re-runs. Here are some favorites that ran in late 2012 and in 2013. This item originally
ran on Jan. 18, 2013.

Word on the national
security street is that General James Mattis is being given the bum's rush out
of his job as commander of Central Command, and is being told to vacate his
office several months earlier than planned.

Why the hurry?
Pentagon insiders say that he rubbed civilian officials the wrong way -- not
because he went all "mad dog," which is his public image, and the view at the
White House, but rather because he pushed the civilians so hard on considering
the second- and third-order consequences of military action against Iran. Some
of those questions apparently were uncomfortable. Like, what do you do with
Iran once the nuclear issue is resolved and it remains a foe? What do you do if
Iran then develops conventional capabilities that could make it hazardous for
U.S. Navy ships to operate in the Persian Gulf? He kept saying, "And then
what?"

Inquiry along these
lines apparently was not welcomed -- at least in the CENTCOM view. The White
House view, apparently, is that Mattis was too hawkish, which is not something
I believe, having seen him in the field over the years. I'd call him a
tough-minded realist, someone who'd rather have tea with you than shoot you,
but is happy to end the conversation either way.

Presidents should
feel free to boot generals anytime they want, of course -- that's our system,
and one I applaud. But ousting Mattis at this time, and in this way, seems
wrong for several reasons:

TIMING: If Mattis
leaves in March, as now appears likely, that means there will be a new person
running CENTCOM just as the confrontation season with Iran begins to heat up
again.

CIVIL-MILITARY SIGNALS:
The message the Obama Administration is sending, intentionally or not, is that
it doesn't like tough, smart, skeptical generals who speak candidly to their
civilian superiors. In fact, that is exactly what it (and every administration)
should want. Had we had more back in 2003, we might not have made the colossal
mistake of invading Iraq.

SERVICE RELATIONS:
The Obamites might not recognize it, but they now have dissed the two Marine
generals who are culture heroes in today's Corps: Mattis and Anthony Zinni. The Marines have long memories. I know some
who are still mad at the Navy for steaming away from the Marines left on
Guadalcanal. Mattis made famous in Iraq the phrase, "No better friend, no worse
enemy." The Obama White House should keep that in mind.

I'm still a fan of
President Obama. I just drove for two days down the East Coast
listening to his first book, and enjoyed it enormously. But I am at the
point where I don't trust his national security team. They strike me as
politicized, defensive and narrow. These are people who will not recognize it
when they screw up, and will treat as enemies anyone who tells them they are
doing that. And that is how things like Vietnam get repeated. Harsh words, I
know. But I am worried.