In Mattis, supporters see an articulate, well-educated leader who can segue from citing Homer and Sun Tzu to cursing like a young rifleman. He led his Marines into the battle of Fallujah in 2004 and a cottage industry has sprung up around his earthy sayings about warfare that would fit perfectly in a movie script. His advice to Marines going into battle was: “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.” As the head of U.S. Central Command from 2010 to 2013, he bucked President Barack Obama’s administration by arguing for a tougher stance on Iran than the White House wanted. His stance cut his time at the command short.
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