Wilmington, DE - December 3, 2016 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Christopher A Coons - (D - DE), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on President-elect Trump’s nomination of General James Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense:
“General James Mattis is a serious strategic thinker with an inspiring record of service who has rightfully earned the respect of the American people. He understands that the decision to send our brave men and women into harm’s way is the gravest decision a president will face. General Mattis’ tenure as CENTCOM commander provides him deep experience running U.S. military operations and extensive familiarity with the challenges confronting the United States and our allies. I would hope that General Mattis’ service at NATO signals that the President-elect understands and remains committed to this critical alliance.
“Some of my colleagues have expressed concerns that the nomination of a recently retired former general undermines our country’s deeply held tradition of civilian control of the military. I will consider this argument carefully, but our next president must be surrounded by experienced, qualified leaders who have the courage to provide unvarnished advice. Based on what I know of General Mattis, his record and experience offer a strong balance to the President-elect’s lack of familiarity with foreign affairs. General Mattis is a voracious reader who learns from history and understands the importance of alliances, diplomacy, and other tools of American power and influence. I look forward to digging deeper into the implications that granting General Mattis a waiver would have on our country’s history of civilian control of the military, as well as his record and experience.”
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