The former general's opinion of Obama, for whom Mattis was head of U.S. Central Command from 2010 until 2013, might be summed up by single entry in the book's index: "Obama, Barack, strategic thinking lacking."
Those who have heard Mattis in his publicity campaign emphasize these points assume he's speaking indirectly of Trump: for example, his disparagement of NATO. But Mattis makes clear in Call Sign Chaos that he believes Obama bungled Middle East policy and, as a result, sent American allies around the world a dangerous message.
Mattis summarizes his time commanding CENTCOM, overseeing military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia until Obama fired him, in harsh terms: "It was to be a time when I would witness duty and deceit, courage and cowardice, and, ultimately, strategic frustration." The general was in charge of two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan, though one ended on his watch - or so the president said.
"You know I say what I mean and I mean what I saw," Obama said in fall 2012, as Mattis notes.
Obama declared the war over, but "Iraq slipped back into escalating violence. It was like watching a car wreck in slow motion," Mattis says.
Obama made "Catastrophic decisions" in Iraq, Mattis concludes.
Mattis is clear that he's talking about Obama.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/emboldened-adversaries-and-shaken-allies-mattis-savages-obamas-lack-of-leadership-in-new-book
Those who have heard Mattis in his publicity campaign emphasize these points assume he's speaking indirectly of Trump: for example, his disparagement of NATO. But Mattis makes clear in Call Sign Chaos that he believes Obama bungled Middle East policy and, as a result, sent American allies around the world a dangerous message.
Mattis summarizes his time commanding CENTCOM, overseeing military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia until Obama fired him, in harsh terms: "It was to be a time when I would witness duty and deceit, courage and cowardice, and, ultimately, strategic frustration." The general was in charge of two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan, though one ended on his watch - or so the president said.
"You know I say what I mean and I mean what I saw," Obama said in fall 2012, as Mattis notes.
Obama declared the war over, but "Iraq slipped back into escalating violence. It was like watching a car wreck in slow motion," Mattis says.
Obama made "Catastrophic decisions" in Iraq, Mattis concludes.
Mattis is clear that he's talking about Obama.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/emboldened-adversaries-and-shaken-allies-mattis-savages-obamas-lack-of-leadership-in-new-book
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