When President-elect Donald Trump sent his talent scouts to the attack-dog kennel run by defense industry giant General Dynamics, in order to recruit former Marine General James "Mad Dog" Mattis to be secretary of defense, cries of apprehension were drowned out by smug one-percent reassurances.

Those who "know what's best for the country" insisted: "NOT TO WORRY; actually Mattis is a Renaissance Man. Yes, he thinks, and says, it's fun to shoot people. But after taking a hot shower in the evening, he reads Greek epic poetry.

Syria

Last Sunday, Mattis told CBS it's gonna be more fun again. At a time when civilian casualties are extremely high in Syria, thus spake James Renaissance Man Mattis to CBS's Face the Nation:

"We have already shifted from attrition tactics, where we shove them from one position to another in Iraq and Syria, to annihilation tactics where we surround them."