Mattis also pledged to keep in place the current policies opening up all military occupational specialties, including combat jobs, to women and allowing gays to serve openly. But global alliances are essential to American success, Mattis said in his opening remarks.
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“I recognise my potential civilian role differs in essence and in substance from my former role in uniform”, Mattis said.
James Mattis said that improving the readiness of the U.S. forces in the Baltic states and Ukraine to respond to Russian Federation has a positive effect for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Mr Pompeo, who previously said the CIA’s post-9/11 interrogation practices were lawful, was questioned about that issue, too. Mattis said he believed America should continue to enforce the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration despite his personal misgivings, though Trump has promised repeatedly to nullify the deal and reimpose nuclear sanctions on Iran.
During Mattis’s confirmation hearing to become the next Secretary of Defense, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, asked Mattis about his views on women serving in combat roles by citing past statements in which he opposed such integration.
“My priorities as Secretary of Defense will be to strengthen military readiness, strengthen our alliances in league with our diplomatic partners, and bring business reforms to the Department of Defense”, he said.
Even some of Trump’s strongest critics say Mattis merits the exception.
“We must also embrace our worldwide alliances and security partnerships”. In contrast, Trump insisted during the presidential campaign that USA treaty allies and security partners pay more for their own defense and for hosting American forces on their soil. “My intention as I made clear to the committee and to the transition team, in December and since, was to have Gen. Mattis come testify before us on his views on civilian control of the military before we vote on the exemption legislation”, Thornberry said. So, Smith, the ranking Democrat on the committee, does not plan to vote in favor of the waiver, according to a spokesman for the Democrats on the Committee. Lawmakers are expected to vote on a waiver proposal this week. Trump’s choice for Central Intelligence Agency director, Rep. Mike Pompeo, sounded similar notes during his own confirmation hearing Thursday and Secretary of State nominee, Rex Tillerson echoed those sentiments during his hearing on Wednesday.
These attitudes set Mattis apart from some of Trump’s other choices for top national-security positions.
But Mattis got no blowback from the committee members for the alleged blot on his otherwise sterling record.
The issue of civilian control has roiled some Democrats, who fear a waiver could erode what is a bedrock principle of US government.
Even before they began questioning, old friends like former Defense Secretary William Cohen praised him as a “man of thought as well as action”.
“Without prejudging [the outcome of the waiver vote], I think you will find Democrats very wary of voting for that if Gen. Mattis has not testified prior to the vote”, Hoyer added. Little opposition to his nomination emerged at the hearing, and Sen. If for someone reason Mattis is not approved, the new law would still be on the books, Youngsmith said.
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Some of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for key Cabinet positions are facing confirmation hearings on Thursday.
