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Mattis withdraws pro-Muslim Brotherhood Obama-era Mattis pick for undersecretary for policy

Mar 15, 2017 8:25 am By Robert Spencer

This is good. It is unfortunate that Mattis wanted Patterson in the first place. The Egyptian people knew what Anne Patterson was all about. She figured prominently on the signs that protesters against the Muslim Brotherhood regime carried as they ousted the Brotherhood regime in 2013. Free Egyptians roundly criticized her and Obama for supporting the Muslim Brotherhood oppressors.

“Defense Secretary Mattis withdraws Patterson as choice for undersecretary for policy,” by Karen DeYoung, Washington Post, March 14, 2017:

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has withdrawn retired senior diplomat Anne W. Patterson as his choice for undersecretary for policy after the White House indicated unwillingness to fight what it said would be a battle for Senate confirmation.

U.S. officials said that two members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), were strongly opposed to Patterson’s nomination because she served as U.S. ambassador to Egypt from 2011 to 2013, a time when the Obama administration supported an elected government with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood that was ultimately overthrown by the Egyptian military.

The withdrawal leaves Mattis with a bench still empty of Trump-appointed senior officials, a situation that stretches across the administration as Cabinet secretaries have not chosen or the White House has not approved nominees. Although Obama administration holdovers remain in a few jobs, after eight weeks in office, President Trump has not nominated a single high official under Cabinet rank in the Defense or State departments….

The White House plans this week — perhaps as early as Tuesday — to announce a handful of approved nominees proposed by Mattis for senior Defense Department positions, but Patterson will not be among them, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity about internal decision-making.

Mattis’s acquiescence to Patterson’s withdrawal came after he fought and won a major battle with the White House to remove Iraq from the list of majority-Muslim countries whose citizens are barred from U.S. entry under Trump’s executive order on immigration.

Although he reportedly insisted that he be able to select his own team when he accepted Trump’s offer to head the Defense Department, Mattis has skirmished repeatedly with the White House over appointments. His initial choice for deputy secretary, Michèle Flournoy, withdrew from consideration after meetings with White House officials. Flournoy served as the department’s undersecretary in the Obama administration….

Patterson retired from the State Department in December as assistant secretary for Near East affairs, the top official on the Middle East, with the highest rank, career ambassador. She also served as ambassador to Pakistan, Colombia and El Salvador.

But it was primarily her service in Egypt, as the public face of Obama’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood-backed government of then-President Mohamed Morsi, that led to her rejection by the White House, officials said….

Although Patterson was said to be supported by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) and was seen as likely to have garnered a majority of votes from Republicans and Democrats, the Trump administration has voiced strong support for Sissi as a strong counterterrorism ally and largely dismissed criticism of his repression of human and civil rights.

While the administration has denounced the Muslim Brotherhood, its plans to issue an executive order designating it a terrorist organization appear to have fallen at least temporarily by the wayside as a number of Middle East experts and U.S. allies in the region have warned against such a step….

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Filed Under: Donald Trump, Featured, Muslim Brotherhood, Useful idiots Tagged With: Anne Patterson, James Mattis


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Comments

  1. Krazy Kafir says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 8:43 am

    It still remains that Mattis’ thinking was naive, at best. Perhaps even completely clueless. It’s imperative that the Secretary of State be well informed of the inherent threat of Islam , and all the complexities that it entails. Time for the US government to hire back instructors who are honest and knowledgeable about that threat. We can see now how bad the situation really is.

    • Jack says

      Mar 15, 2017 at 8:53 am

      Mattis is a very bad choice, another liberal.

      • mortimer says

        Mar 15, 2017 at 10:20 am

        Agree with Krazy Kafir. Mattis was NAIVE AT BEST. I would be bold to say he is definitely CLUELESS about the JIHAD DOCTRINE! This is unacceptable in his position.

        No one who has studied the JIHAD DOCTRINE (and has MASTERED IT) would consider Patterson to fight the Muslim Brotherhood.

        Mattis should either read several books and briefings on the jihad doctrine (including Robert Spencer, Stephen Coughlin, Andrew Bostom, Bill Warner)… or if he does NOT read up on the jihad doctrine… Mattis should LEAVE his job or be fired.

        PRESIDENT TRUMP, HIRE ROBERT SPENCER.

        • EYESOPEN says

          Mar 15, 2017 at 6:27 pm

          Concur. I already sent President Trump two of Robert’s latest videos (the 5+ min videos) to let the president know that if he wanted an intelligent, knowledgeable, personable individual, well-versed in everything izlam (sic – on purpose), that Robert Spencer was the man he was looking for.

      • SweetOlBob says

        Mar 16, 2017 at 8:38 am

        Let’s see how he does before we call him a liberal.
        Anybody who pisses off the democRAT liberals off to the degree he did can’t be all bad !

    • Frank Anderson says

      Mar 15, 2017 at 9:32 am

      Krazy, I believe if you check Mattis is Secretary of Defense. Tillerson is Secretary of State. I hope I have that correctly.

      • EYESOPEN says

        Mar 15, 2017 at 6:28 pm

        You are quite correct Frank.

    • Stephen Mark says

      Mar 15, 2017 at 11:37 am

      Why not Tom Cotton for this position, he has been negligently overlooked on all security cabinet positions. WHY?

    • Pastor C says

      Mar 15, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      This article is deeply-disturbing on so many levels.

      That Mattis is situated where he is, at the top of the Department of Defense in light of the fact that he’s, clearly, a holdover and loyalist to Barry disturbs me. Shadow government at work.

      Mattis remains, and will pick/appoint a number of senior officials this week, begging the question will he choose more loyalists/holdovers from the previous administration. Shadow government at work.

      That ‘skirmishes’ over appointments even exist within the White House, over Defense Department matters, at all, during wartime (when we can least afford it) is troubling. Shadow government at work.

      His initial choice for deputy secretary was another Barry loyalist. And, yet, that move did not prompt nor raise sufficient red flags, within the Trump administration, to warrant deep concern about a worrisome ‘pattern’ of Mattis appointments-all of which appear to be, at least, troubling if not diametrically-opposed to this president’s patriotic agenda. Shadow government at work.

      And what is most troubling of all, to me, is that stealth jihad will persist, with impunity, because of the administration’s ill-fated and unfathomable decision to not ban the Muslim Brotherhood, and her subversive/treasonous operatives, from waging jihad against us due to political correctness. Shadow government, again, at work.

      I say again. America is in huge trouble! I find no way, whatsoever, we can win this war. If someone, out there, can see otherwise please explain it to me.

      • Custos Custodum says

        Mar 16, 2017 at 4:02 am

        Excellent exposition, thank you.

    • Robert says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 12:28 am

      I lived in Egypt 8 years and I must agree: The Obama administration supported Jihadists in many ways in Egypt. In the name of Democracy the Obama administration supported extreme Muslim views leading to the massacre of tens of thousands of Copts (Christians) in Egypt. Like Erdogan in Turley today: a democratic proces is used to establsih a theocracy of the worst forms. Erdogan once said in a public address to a huge crowd in Istanbul: We use democracy as a train: “we get off when we have arrived where we wanted to be!”

    • Polk says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 2:37 pm

      Secretary of DEFENSE

    • Polk says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 2:45 pm

      Test

      • Polk says

        Mar 16, 2017 at 2:47 pm

        Even the word test awaits moderation
        Unmoderate sndFIRE YOUR MODERATORS FPM

        • Robert Spencer says

          Mar 16, 2017 at 5:14 pm

          This isn’t FPM. This is Jihad Watch.

  2. Jack says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 8:49 am

    What a surprise, John McCain supports this woman, Not

    • Frank Anderson says

      Mar 15, 2017 at 9:42 am

      Jack, it looks to me like John McCain will never miss a chance to “get publicity” and “go across the aisle” to undermine the Republican Party’s goals. I cannot remember a single action the Trump administration has proposed or taken that McCain has supported. Another time I would like to be in error. Never will forget his inept “suspension of his campaign” in 2008, to “save” us from the financial crisis. BHO didn’t suspend his. There are some who think McCain was the best Democrat to ever get the Republican Party nomination. Does he still believe he is the “voice” of the Republican Party? He lost: Trump won. “Elections have consequences.”

      • Magali Marc says

        Mar 15, 2017 at 10:15 am

        McCain supported Mattis’nomination …

        • Frank Anderson says

          Mar 15, 2017 at 10:55 am

          Magali Marc, THANK YOU for pointing this out. It goes to show the wisdom of the teaching that nobody is perfectly bad, and only 1 was perfectly good. Sooner or later McCain had to get 1 right!

        • US infidel says

          Mar 15, 2017 at 11:24 pm

          Limp brain McCain was brain washed before he was captured by the North Vietnamese army. Shit he almost sunl an aircraft carrier and killed guite a few sailors to if not mistaken. The crud

      • Polk says

        Mar 16, 2017 at 2:41 pm

        A worse QUESTION is DID THE KGB or GRU Brainwash him in North Vietnam Captivity
        Lots of rumors that McCain was BROKEN

        • Polk says

          Mar 16, 2017 at 2:43 pm

          What’s WITH THE MODERATION BS?
          UNFLAG ME

        • Frank Anderson says

          Mar 16, 2017 at 6:52 pm

          Polk, If I had McCain on a witness stand I would focus on his actions and statements and stay away from rumors. By keeping focus on what is known I would preserve my credibility with those listening. It’s his credibility and biases that are subject to question in many minds, not the credibility of those who question.

          May I suggest please that we keep watching and remembering all his actions and statements that reveal his interests, biases and anger at losing in 2008, while he is in (to me) all probability taking out his rage on Trump, who won. He gets the camera time because he spouts the anti-Trump narrative the media want. Automatically and blindly giving lifetime “credit” for something that happened, what, more or less 45 years ago, and a free pass to sabotage and miss-direct policy forever leaves something to be desired. All of us need to EARN our credibility every day.

          His contentions need to be questioned and examined as intensely as anyone’s. Those contentions are nothing more than HIS opinion, which he should be prepared and required to defend in detail. Our lives, freedom and future are at stake. Obviously I am tired of the sequence, “Trump says. . .”, let’s run to McCain and see what he says. How many Masters can conduct a Lodge?

    • Ted says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 7:38 am

      Why didn’t McCain suggest Hanoi Jayne?

  3. Shan Lim says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 9:00 am

    This mad dog needs to go, not to mention he he fought and won a major battle with the White House to remove Iraq from the ban list.

  4. vlparker says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 9:29 am

    Mattis was a terrible choice for SoD. If the White House is fighting constantly with Mattis over staffing the Dept. of Defense Trump should ask for his resignation. I would like to know from whom Trump got the names of Mattis, Harwood and McMaster, all terrible choices.

  5. RichardL says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 9:59 am

    Mattis is a virtuous warrior. I have never met a better general.

    He made the right decision. That’s all that counts.

    • Terry Gain says

      Mar 15, 2017 at 1:59 pm

      You ignore policy. Mattis is now a 4 time loser with Flournoy, Patterson, keeping the Iran deal and now Climate Change being a threat.

      http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2017/03/15/mattis-climate-change-is-a-national-security-threat/

  6. annmarie says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 10:10 am

    Who are the Middle East experts that have warned against declaring the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization? Saudi Arabia and the UAE have declared the Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist organization why can’t we.

    • joydbrower says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 8:19 am

      Good point!

    • Franc says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 10:51 am

      Probably fear of backlash. Don’t need to “declare” as of now; it’s good enough for now to make policy guided by the knowledge that they are a terrorist organization.

      Probably when “all things are considered” it’s best not to make that declaration now. And we, that is, the public, don’t know “all things.”

  7. DFD says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    One down, scores to go… But: Doesn’t that imply that Mattis doesn’t know who he is proposing/appointing? Or, worse, that he doesn’t care? Let’s see:

    “…Mattis’s acquiescence to Patterson’s withdrawal came ****after he fought and won a major battle with the White House to remove Iraq from the list of majority-Muslim****…”

    Yes of course, there aren’t any terrorists in Iraq, and certainly not Muslim ones. I can see his point and his courageous commitment to serve Trump’s political line – of dear, oh dear oh dear, oh dear. I must getting something wrong. What do you think, is Iraq a hotbed of terrorism? If **you** think so, then shouldn’t…?

    So I am wrong, sarcastic, etc. But:

    “….he reportedly insisted that he be able to select his own team {{personal remark: No interference from the boss, please, Why not?}} when he accepted Trump’s offer to head the Defense Department, Mattis has skirmished repeatedly with the White House over appointments. His initial choice for deputy secretary, Michèle Flournoy, withdrew from consideration after meetings with White House officials. Flournoy served as the department’s undersecretary in the Obama administration….”

    If that’s indicative of Mattis’ abilities… Well, he certainly seems to be able to chose Islam supporters and enablers. How naïve of him, how well meaning. It would change of course. if one only could get him ‘to read Islamic core texts’. Amazing, just amazing that he hasn’t done so, given his career so far. Well, understandably, in his profession one must assume the best, and the best intent. Although, personally, I don’t think so. It’s all soooooo very complicated, too much to comprehend. He must have been on the chief of staffs of the Salvation Army. Damn that sarcasm of mine!

    I wonder how many more Mattis’ Trump has on his list. Well, he must have checked on Mattis. Oh, sorry, I just realize, Mattis is not the one being questioned. Only his choice. After all, he has been hand picked by a successful business man, skilled to pick the winning team. In case you are angry with me, I am not doubting this skill, I just wonder about the definition of ‘winning’. We antijihadis have certainly our definition – hmh…

    • Custos Custodum says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 3:56 am

      Mattis is not working for Trump, and certainly not for America. Trump needs to put in two or three sensible deputies and then systematically go around Mattis.

      • DFD says

        Mar 16, 2017 at 12:02 pm

        IMO, he needs to **purge** — if he really wanted to achieve the aims he declares.

  8. Voytek Gagalka says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    At last one small step in the right direction. We still wait for the decision to remove (or educate) McMaster, however.

    • Terry Gain says

      Mar 15, 2017 at 2:03 pm

      McMaster and Mattis were both bad choices. The enemy is Islam and if you don’t understand that you can’t defend freedom.

  9. Mark A says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    Good to see Ann Paterson is no longer being considered for a position in the Trump Administration but it is disquieting to know she was even being considered for such a position given her well known track record in Egypt.

    Why General Mattis would support someone like Ann Patterson is unfathomable to me.

    • Custos Custodum says

      Mar 16, 2017 at 3:59 am

      Backroom deal with Deep State aided by blackmail using NSA intercepts.

  10. Kiel says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    It’s an overall must for the Trump government to ensure that all branches in the administration contain loyal, knowable, and adapt individuals most critical of Islam. Secretary Mattis seems not to be one of those.

  11. RCCA says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 6:39 pm

    The only explanation I can think of is that as a General Mattis is accustomed to giving orders and people obeying his orders. People’s personal opinions aren’t important, only their ability to execute. He probably thought Patterson had the knowledge, discipline, experience, and skill to do the job; he did not factor in the political significance of her history. She has worked in numerous countries in the foreign service since 1973, it was only in Egypt that she ran into problems, thanks to working for the Obama administration and his policies. I don’t know Mattis or Patterson personally, this is my impression of events. But I certainly would not infer that Mattis is disloyal to Trump because of Patterson’s service under Obama. People who believe that probably don’t know Mattis or Patterson either.

  12. Angemon says

    Mar 15, 2017 at 6:57 pm

    Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has withdrawn retired senior diplomat Anne W. Patterson as his choice for undersecretary for policy after the White House indicated unwillingness to fight what it said would be a battle for Senate confirmation.

    And Mattis stays?

  13. joydbrower says

    Mar 16, 2017 at 8:34 am

    Personally, although we all know that Iraq (and Afghan & Syria) are all “Action Central” for ISIS & Jihad, still we have many Iraqi citizens who have worked for and helped the US Gov’t & US Military since the invasion in 2003 – and those many visas to translators, etc., should not be withheld, but NOT without the strictist and most thorough vetting & investigation. So I’m giving Mattis some props for that. However, remember when he was first chosen and nominated for DOD, what got everyone’s approval (many, of course, without even knowing him!) was his rep as a military man and an excellent MILITARY general. No one even mentioned his knowledge and understanding of Islam. Only the unfortunately departed Gen. Mike Flynn seems to have had THAT feather in his cap.

    I thought Steve Bannon was the hard-headed realist that was advising Trump, but maybe he’s being somewhat sidelined and/or he doesn’t have the Spencerian chops for the job! Indeed, if we could roll back the clock – or maybe even just start in right away! – wouldn’t it have been better to have had Robert Spencer as a quiet, behind-the-scenes advisor to Trump on all matters Islamic? Guess that’s just a pipe dream….

  14. SweetOlBob says

    Mar 16, 2017 at 8:41 am

    Sorry General !
    But the U.S. had too many muslim promoters and filthy muslims when the very first one set foot on our beautiful land.

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