Mattis Biographer: Why General Mattis Is Wrong

“Wouldn’t a simple statement of solidarity with the protestors and his personal commitment to help heal the nation be the right use of the General’s reputation and leadership?”

He presumes too much. To presume that President Trump would misuse his federal authority to quell the nation’s most destructive and apparently out of control riots in decades is to presume either incompetence or malevolence. General Mattis offers no evidence for either of these presumptions.

In fact, President Trump’s competence and beneficence regarding the nation, particularly the economy, race relations, and foreign policy are unassailable. For example, at times against General Mattis’ recommendations, President Trump reduced our footprint in the Middle East, while annihilating ISIS in a matter of months: something that 12 years of previous presidents could not achieve. The region is now relatively peaceful, something unimaginable to previous world leaders. So there is scant—if any—evidence for incompetence in President Trump’s use of military force or his malevolence towards the Constitution, as General Mattis presumes.

To presume that justifiable public grief and grieving is best expressed in demonstrations demanding justice is to presume that justice is not being done. The killer has been arrested and charged. His cop accomplices are charged, or are about to be charged. Justice is being served, and it is obvious that it is.

If anything, [protestors’] rights are being venerated and prioritized above demands for immediate law and order.

Isn’t the proper expression of public grief at this point support for Mr. Floyd’s family, respect for their wishes for peace and for his legacy, and care for those suffering in the aftermath of the riots? Aren’t local shop owners, the elderly, the ill, and children more properly deserving of the outpouring of energy and concern from citizens? Wouldn’t condemnation of the violence be a more correct response? General Mattis presumes wrongly again that all of the protestors are acting properly and towards the nation’s higher good.