‘Mad Dog’ Mattis, Trump’s pick for defence secretary, has a thoughtful side
Washington — US President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday night he would nominate retired Marine Corps Gen James Mattis, known as "Mad Dog" and renowned for his tough talk and battlefield experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, to lead the Pentagon. "We are going to appoint ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis as our secretary of defence," Trump told a rally in Cincinnati. He said the formal announcement would be made on Monday. The choice of a seasoned military strategist would be another indication that Trump, a Republican, intends to steer US foreign policy away from Democratic President Barack Obama’s increased reliance on US allies to fight Islamist militants and to help deter Russian and Chinese aggression in Europe and Asia. Mattis is a revered figure in the Marine Corps and known for his distrust of Iran. The Washington Post and CNN reported earlier that Trump had chosen Mattis, but Trump spokesman Jason Miller said earlier on Twitter that "no decision has been made yet" on the defence secretar...
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