Rep. Ryan Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, believes President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Marine Corps Gen. James “Mad Dog” Mattis as secretary of defense will help counteract the negative influence of “armchair quarterbacks” in the Pentagon and Department of State .
Zinke spent 23 years with the SEALs and worked directly with Mattis during the Iraq War. He described his time serving with Mattis as the most “formidable” during his career, and recalled learning crucial lessons from the “Warrior Monk,” another of Mattis’ nicknames. Zinke believes Mattis’ legendary ability to connect with and inspire troops will help alleviate the divide between Washington bureaucrats and military personnel currently plaguing the military.
“While the average soldier, sailor, airman or marine may not be able to tell you how the National Defense Authorization Act directly impacts their job, they can tell you that their jobs are made harder by armchair quarterbacks in D.C. who have never even stepped foot on a military installation, let alone been to war,” said Zinke in a statement provided to TheDCNF.
Zinke added that troop morale is crucial to national security, and that the men and women in uniform “need to know their commanders have their backs.”
“Nobody understands war and the warrior ethos better than General Mattis,” said Zinke.
Zinke recalled briefing Mattis during the deadliest fighting in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004, when the city became known as “the warehouse of death.” He noted that Mattis, who is known for his tough talk and legendary quotes, not only had the ability to connect with his subordinates, but was also more than capable at navigating the complex politics which existed at the time.
“While trying to keep our troops alive, General Mattis also had to deal with the politics of the State Department and armchair quarterbacks at the Pentagon and White House, and all under the watchful eye of the international media. General Mattis did an exemplary job,” said Zinke.
Trump acknowledged he will be nominating Mattis as his secretary of defense while speaking at a rally in Cincinnati Thursday. Legally speaking, Mattis is not allowed to serve as secretary of defense until he has been out of the military for seven years. Mattis retired after 43 years in the military in 2013, but Congress can approve a waiver that will allow him to head up the Pentagon.
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