Mattis Tapped As CENTCOM Head

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Thursday that he has selected General James Mattis to replace General David Petraeus as the head of U.S. Central Command, and characterized Mattis as one of the military’s most independent and iconoclastic leaders.

However, these attributes have gotten Mattis in trouble in the past. In 2005, Mattis remarked on-camera that it was “fun to shoot some people” in Afghanistan.

“You got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain’t got no manhood left anyway,” Mattis said during a panel discussion in California. “It’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them. Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight. You know, it’s a hell of a hoot. It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.”

When reminded of Mattis’s remarks by a reporter, Gates responded that that the General was properly disciplined at the time and has corrected his behavior since the incident.

“That was five years ago,” said Gates. “I think the subsequent five years have demonstrated that the lesson was learned.”

Mattis, a Marine, is the current head of U.S. Joint Forces Command. He was initially intending to retire this year.

General Petraeus was unanimously confirmed by the Senate to command U.S. forces in Afghanistan last Wednesday. He replaced now-retired General Stanley McChrystal, who was relieved of his command after disparaging comments from he and his staff made it into an issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin’s (D-Mich.) office told Talk Radio News that the dates for Mattis’s confirmation hearings will not be announced until at least next week.

Senate Confirms Petraeus

General David Petraeus was unanimously confirmed by the Senate Wednesday as the new U.S. Commander in Afghanistan.

Although the July 2011 date to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan has become a dividing issue between Democrats and Republicans, there was little doubt that the former head of Central Command would face a smooth confirmation process.

Petraeus will replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was relieved of his position after criticism levied from him and his staff against various members of the Obama administration made it into a recent issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. McChrystal announced his retirement Monday.

The White House has not yet announced who will step-in for Petraues at Central Command, but it is widely assumed that it will be either Lt. General John Allen, the current Deputy Commander at CENTCOM, or General James Mattis, the head of U.S. Joint Forces Command. Both Generals were also considered as possible replacements for McChrystal.

Petraeus assumes command as U.S. forces prepare for a critical offensive in Kandahar province this summer.

Rumors Of Karzai's Loss Of Faith In U.S. Military Nullified By Petraeus

by Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News Service

At the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday and Wednesday, Senators expressed their anxiety that some, including Afghan President Hamid Karzai, may have lost their faith in America's ability to win the war in Afghanistan.

"It's very troubling that President Karzai has decided to remove his Minister of Interior and his Head of Intelligence, two of our most important partners in his government, and two men I know to be upstanding and effective," said Senator John McCain (R-AZ), referring to the Afghan President's sudden and unexplained removal of Hanif Atmar and Amrullah Saleh.

Karzai recently announced his plan for reconciliation and reintegration in Afghanistan and it has raised some concern for American lawmakers. The plan outlines the reintegration of "lower-level insurgents who renounce violence and disassociate themselves from terrorists" into Afghan society, according to Defense Undersecretary for Policy Michele Flournoy.

McCain said that concern is growing in Congress with rumors circling about Karzai's loss of faith in the U.S. military and his disbelief that America can actually win the war in Afghanistan.

"President Karzai no longer believes the United States will succeed, and he is shifting his resolve to a policy of accommodation with the Taliban," McCain said. "If true, this could be very dangerous."

Petraeus, who testified at the hearing, reassured that the allegations being made are a "characterization from some second or third-hand sources," and repeatedly emphasized that these allegations do not correlate with what Karzai told him in their own personal conversations.

Petraeus Touts Integrated Civil-Military Effort In Kandahar

By Miles Wolf Tamboli-Talk Radio News

General David Petraeus, the U.S. CentCom Commander, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Wednesday that as the military's focus shifts from efforts in the Central Helmand River Valley, where forces have overtaken Taliban sanctuaries in Marjah and Nad-i-Ali to overtaking strongholds in Kandahar Province, strategies are becoming more comprehensive.

"The effort [in Kandahar] features an integrated civil-military approach to security, governance, and development," said Petraeus. The objective of this method is to provide a rising tide of security that will expand incrementally over time and establish the foundation of improved security on which local Afghan governance can be built."

Added the General, "We and our [international] partners have worked hard to get the 'inputs' right in Afghanistan: to build organizations, command and control structures, and relationships needed to carry out a comprehensive civil-military campaign."

Patraeus emphasized the strategy employed by General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan. According to Petraeus, "Central to achieving progress in Afghanistan ... is increasing the size and capability of [the Afghan Army]. General Stan McChrystal has placed a premium on comprehensive partnering with [Afghan forces]."

Wednesday's hearing followed General Petraeus' collapse the day prior. Petraeus quickly recovered Tuesday and made assurances that he was simply dehydrated.

Petraeus Collapses, Afghanistan Hearing Postponed

By Justin Duckham & Miles Wolf Tamboli-Talk Radio News Service

Cencom Commander General David Petraeus appeared to pass out during a Senate Armed Services hearing on Afghanistan Tuesday.

Petraeus slumped over suddenly during an exchange with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). He seemed to recover several moments later and was escorted from the room. The Committee called a brief recess.

The General returned shortly after and told Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) that he “just got dehydrated,” joking that the incident was not caused by Senator McCain's questioning.

Petraeus fainted shortly after Senator McCain asserted that the General was, "one of America's great heroes."

Despite Petraeus’s return to the witness table and insistence that he was in good health and completely competent to continue the hearing, Levin "overruled" his claims and stated that the Committee would reschedule Tuesday’s meeting for the following day.

Those in attendance applauded as Petraeus departed.