12-21-2018, 03:53 PM
![[Image: 800px-mattis_centcom_2010.jpg?w=800&h=630&crop=0,0,0,96]](https://foreignpolicymag.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/800px-mattis_centcom_2010.jpg?w=800&h=630&crop=0,0,0,96)
General Mattis did not retire, as Trump claimed yesterday via Twitter. He resigned as Trump's Secretary of Defense.
General Mattis's resignation letter is very well-written and direct, without any insincere statements of gratitude towards Trump.
Mattis instead expressed gratitude for being able to represent the men and women in uniform and the nation.
Mattis resigned his appointment as Secretary of Defense, effective end of February, because he cannot continue to support Trump's poor treatment of U.S. allies and puzzling deference to authoritarians who do not share the U.S.'s values, which he appears to consider a threat to our national security. That's my interpretation of his resignation letter.
I suspect that Trump's posting videos of dead soldiers who fought in Syria and claiming that he had their blessings to suddenly pull troops from the country was of great offense to Mattis and others in military leadership. Mattis didn't say as much in his letter, it's just my suspicion (maybe because I found Trump's justification tactic to be cheap exploitation and disrespectful to our troops).
Anyway, I really hate to see General Mattis go; a sentiment that seems to be shared by many, not including Trump and National Security Adviser John Bolton .