TEHRAN (Basirat)- US President-elect Donald Trump officially announced on Tuesday his decision to nominate General James Mattis to lead the Pentagon, at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Trump described the retired Marine Corps general as "one of the
most effective generals that we’ve had in many, many decades … and the
American people are fortunate that a man of this character and integrity
will now be the civilian leader atop the Department of Defense."
"I am proud to formally announce today my intention to nominate Gen.
James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis as the next Secretary of Defense," Trump told his
supporters.
Mattis addressed Trump’s rally, thanking the president-elect for
the confidence in him and the opportunity to return to the US troops.
From 2010 to 2013, Mattis served as US commander in Afghanistan and
Iraq. He disagreed with President Barack Obama's policies in the Middle
East, and in particular with the Iran nuclear deal. Mattis' stances on
Iran are similar to those advocated by Trump during the presidential
campaign and supported by his appointee for White House national
security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.