Following a Leader

Image courtesy: Dept. of Defense

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."

This striking quote -- offered as advice to Marines fighting during one of the Iraq war's deadliest chapters -- was attributed to Gen. James Mattis. So as I prepared to meet this consummate American warrior Tuesday night at The Union League of Philadelphia, I was quite nervous, to say the least.

When we were introduced, the four-star general couldn't have been more friendly, warm, and genuine. As he spoke later in the evening to an annual Naval War College Foundation gathering, it was clear that he is also an intensely focused, resolute, patriotic, and unflappable individual. There is a reason he's the Commander of U.S. Central Command during one of the most dangerous chapters in the Middle East's long history of turbulence. It's because his leadership is truly fearless.

While I will not quote from the general's off-the-record speech, the thing that struck me most about this tough-as-nails, battle-hardened Marine is his overt compassion for wounded troops and families of the fallen. During a crowded meet-and-greet before dinner, I followed Gen. Mattis for a few minutes to watch him work the room.

During that time frame, he repeatedly went out of his way to visit with combat veterans, including a triple amputee and another young hero who was blinded while fighting in Afghanistan last year. While Gen. Mattis has met with countless world leaders and undoubtedly has a 24-hour hotline to the Oval Office, he treated these wounded warriors like a group of presidents and kings.

Based on accounts from the ground in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world, Gen. Mattis has displayed similar admiration for deployed troops during his countless visits to remote forward operating bases in America's post-9/11 war zones. While he is clearly an unyielding general who expects his orders to be followed, many of the men and women under his command feel a special connection to their leader. That's because they know that no matter how difficult, he will always have their back.

Images courtesy: Senior Airman Ronifel Yasay

Mattis, who graduated from Central Washington State University in 1972 before becoming a distinguished military leader and scholar, has America in his blood. Through intense study and access to intelligence, he believes with every bone in his body that if America ceases to be proactive in the Middle East, terrorist attacks on par or even worse than 9/11 will inevitably result in the homeland and around the world. As evidenced in his confirmation hearing to succeed Gen. David Petraeus at CENTCOM, the serious threat posed by Iran continues to keep Mattis up at night.

"The task of Central Command will be to counter the Iranian regime's destabilizing activities, to deter the regime from aggression, and to work in concert with our partners in the region to advance our shared security interests," the general said last year on Capitol Hill.

Mattis is also a master negotiator. He is constantly on the phone or meeting in person with Arab leaders, using his military experience and vast historical expertise to improve life for citizens of the Middle East while also preserving American interests. While hundreds of enemy fighters are dead because of the general, there is no doubt in my mind that because of his leadership, many innocent civilians around the world are still alive.

I learned more about the Middle East, as well as America's crucial role in that region and the world, from the general's speech and subsequent question-and-answer session than any college course I ever sat through. It was also fitting that as Gen. Mattis spoke, a stunning, majestic portrait of President Abraham Lincoln loomed above him. That's not because this leader would compare himself to Lincoln, but because like America's greatest wartime leader, this accomplished, wordly man believes we live in a noble nation.

Putting politics aside, it bothers me how easily some media pundits and journalists carelessly throw around statements like "Afghanistan is a mess," "Iraq is a disaster," and "America is on the decline." With honorable leaders like Gen. James Mattis protecting our country, it is abundantly clear to this blog that America is still a strong, unparalleled beacon of freedom, justice and peace, even during a time of war. While there is no question that our country faces difficult challenges, every single one of us should be proud of the U.S. military. Our men and women in uniform are part of the solution.

"Marines don't know how to spell defeat," the general once said. After spending a late fall evening just a few steps from the Liberty Bell, hearing freedom ring as this remarkable military leader spoke, my belief that America can never be defeated is stronger than ever.