(IHT) Lieutenant General James Mattis, a slightly built infantry officer who is a revered figure among marines for his fierce demeanor and warrior ethos, made the comments on Tuesday while speaking to a forum in San Diego about strategies for the war against terror. . According to an audio recording of Mattis's remarks obtained by The Associated Press, he said: "Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling." . He added, "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil." Mattis continued: "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."

General Mattis ist bekannt für seine Schnauze. Bei der Landung in Afghanistan hatte er seinerzeit gemeldet: "The Marines have landed, and we now own a piece of Afghanistan." Seine jüngsten Äusserungen, gemacht an einem Forum zu Strategien im Krieg gegen den Terror in San Diego, haben ihm einen Tadel eingetragen.