James Mattis as Defense Secretary,Trump cautions China, Russia

With the announcement of retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as Defense Secretary of the United States, President-elect Donald Trump has amply outlined the major changes that Pentagon contemplates in dealing with China, Russia, Iran and Israel and in changing Afghanistan through Pakistan that also envisage eliminating Haqqani network from Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Admirers call Mattis as “Mad Dog” or “Warrior Monk”, a tough general attributed with strong handling of wars.

On Afghanistan Policy, Mattis favours to be a strategic partner with Pakistan  to target terrorists including Talibans in the region. His famous quotes for Afghanistan like “You go into 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. So it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them.”

He said “there are some assholes in the world that just need to be shot. “Therefore Trump will not participate in nation building in Afghanistan.

Mattis will never allow politicization in the Department of Defense. Mad Dog was on the front line of the 2001 assault on Afghanistan, led the Marine attack on Baghdad in 2003.

China and Russia will have to be cautious as Mattis is against Beijing’s increasing naval power and warships in the South China Sea. He had held that China must be denied “veto power” over the territorial claims, security and economic  conditions in the pacific.

Warrior Monk said that Putin creating instability along Russia’s border and is skeptical about Russia-China strategic partnership that points  to blending of China’s One belt, One road with Russia’s Eurasia Economic Union.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already changed Army chief of Staff and ISI chief keeping in view the appointment of Mattis in Pentagon .

Mattis considers Pakistan strategically important for defeating Taliban and regaining control of the lost territories of Afghanistan to Taliban in recent years. Mattis was anti to US-Iran Nuclear deal that led President Obama to replace him as Centcom commander.

As far as One China Policy is concerned, Trump is in no mood to entertain China  and will move forward to strengthen and deepen diplomatic ties with Taiwan  and help it become stronger economically and boost its military status.

Article Courtesy : Arti Bali, Senior Journalist & Analyst