Introduction
In "Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead," retired Marine Corps General and former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis provides an in-depth look at US military strategy over the past three decades. Drawing on his extensive experience commanding troops in three major conflicts, Mattis offers valuable insights into leadership, decision-making, and the complexities of modern warfare.
The book follows Mattis's career from his early days as a young Marine officer through his rise to the highest levels of military command. Along the way, he shares hard-earned lessons about effective leadership and reflects on the successes and failures of American military interventions in the Middle East and Central Asia.
As both a participant in and student of these conflicts, Mattis is uniquely positioned to analyze what went right and what went wrong in America's wars since 1990. His account provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at key military operations and the strategic thinking that shaped them.
Finding Purpose in the Marines
Jim Mattis's journey to becoming one of America's most respected military leaders began with a near-death experience as a young man. In 1971, fresh out of college and unsure of his direction in life, Mattis went on a winter hiking trip in the mountains of Washington state. While standing on an icy ridge, he slipped and tumbled down a dangerous ravine. Though he escaped with only a few cracked ribs, the brush with death was a wake-up call.
The incident brought to mind something Mattis had heard during his summer training with the Marine Officer Candidates School: "We don't get to choose when we die, but we can choose how we meet death." This profound statement resonated deeply with Mattis and helped crystallize his desire to pursue a career in the Marines.
For Mattis, the Marine Corps represented an appealing blend of duty and adventure. This aligned well with his upbringing in Richland, Washington, a town shaped by the presence of military personnel and engineers working on the Manhattan Project. Mattis had grown up surrounded by a culture of patriotism and civic-mindedness.
His parents had also nurtured his adventurous spirit from a young age. As a boy, Mattis hunted in the surrounding wilderness and began hitchhiking across the western United States at just 13 years old. When at home, he devoured books from his parents' extensive library, developing a particular fondness for authors like Hemingway and Faulkner.
Though Mattis was an unremarkable student in college, often more focused on partying than academics, he found his calling during summer officer training with the Marines. The grueling program pushed him to his limits, but Mattis's stubborn determination saw him through when many others dropped out. It was here that he began to develop the sense of purpose and commitment that would define his military career.
Learning to Lead in Turbulent Times
Mattis was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in early 1972, a challenging period for the US military. The Vietnam War had become deeply unpopular, leading to the abolition of the draft and transition to an all-volunteer force in 1973. This shift brought new challenges, as the military saw an influx of recruits from troubled backgrounds, along with increased drug use and racial tensions.
In this environment, effective leadership became more crucial than ever. One of Mattis's early mentors, Corporal Johnson, advised that officers needed to be "harder than a petrified woodpecker's lips" to maintain discipline and command respect. Mattis took this advice to heart and quickly established himself as a capable leader.
Looking back on his success, Mattis attributes it to three key factors: competence, care, and conviction. He learned that to lead Marines effectively, an officer must first master the basics of military skills. This meant being able to outperform subordinates in areas like physical fitness, marksmanship, and tactical knowledge. As Mattis puts it, war is full of random dangers, so leaders must get the simple things right.
However, Mattis also discovered that competence alone is not enough. Effective leaders must genuinely care for those under their command, helping them grow and develop in their roles. This doesn't mean treating subordinates as friends, but rather acting more like a coach invested in their success.
Finally, Mattis emphasizes the importance of conviction - establishing clear rules and applying them consistently and fairly to all. In military parlance, these are known as "flat-ass rules" that apply to everyone at all times. By embodying these principles, Mattis learned to win the crucial battle for his troops' hearts and minds.
Leading Marines in the First Gulf War
By 1990, Mattis had spent 18 years in the Marines and risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. His leadership skills would soon be put to the test in a major conflict.
On August 2, 1990, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait. Contrary to Hussein's expectations, the international community, led by the United States, quickly mobilized to oppose this act of aggression. Mattis received orders to prepare his unit for deployment just days after President George H.W. Bush declared that the invasion would not stand.
Mattis's battalion was assigned a crucial role in the campaign to liberate Kuwait. They would be the first unit to engage Iraqi forces, tasked with breaching heavily fortified "obstacle belts" to open a corridor for the main US assault. This was a high-stakes mission that would set the tone for the entire operation.
When the assault began on February 24, 1991, Mattis commanded a force of 1,250 Marines supported by 18 tanks. Their performance exceeded all expectations. While practice runs had estimated the breach would take 21 minutes, Mattis's troops accomplished it in just 11 minutes under real combat conditions.
From his position in an armored command vehicle, Mattis observed as his Marines swiftly overwhelmed Iraqi defenses. Most enemy soldiers offered little resistance, while those who fought more tenaciously were quickly neutralized by concentrated artillery and air support.
By the end of that first day, over 20,000 US troops had poured through the gaps opened by Mattis's battalion. Within just four days, Iraqi forces were in full retreat and Kuwait was liberated. Remarkably, Mattis's unit suffered no casualties during the operation.
For Mattis, the First Gulf War represented a model of effective military intervention. The US had clear objectives, committed the necessary resources to achieve them, and avoided getting bogged down in a prolonged occupation. This swift and decisive victory would stand in stark contrast to later conflicts in which Mattis would participate.
Challenges in Afghanistan: Outdated Thinking and Missed Opportunities
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks marked the beginning of a new era in American military operations. Mattis, by then a high-ranking officer, immediately recognized the attacks as the work of Al Qaeda. Within weeks, the US launched airstrikes against Al Qaeda and their Taliban hosts in Afghanistan.
Despite his eagerness to join the fight, Mattis and his Marine unit initially found themselves sidelined due to outdated strategic thinking. The top US commander, General Tommy Franks, believed that the landlocked nature of Afghanistan made it unsuitable for Marine operations. This view failed to account for the Marines' ability to establish bridgeheads using long-range helicopters, allowing them to operate far inland.
Mattis's arguments for Marine involvement initially fell on deaf ears, with one notable exception. Vice Admiral Willy Moore recognized the potential of using Marines to open a new front in southern Afghanistan. Together, Mattis and Moore devised a bold plan to fly 4,000 Marines over Pakistani airspace and establish a base 90 miles southwest of Kandahar, the Taliban's stronghold.
This operation, which established Camp Rhino, proved to be a turning point in the war. The sudden appearance of US forces deep in Taliban territory shattered their defensive strategy and contributed significantly to their rapid defeat. By December 2001, the Taliban government had fallen.
However, this success was tempered by a major missed opportunity. As Taliban and Al Qaeda forces retreated to the Tora Bora cave complex near the Pakistani border, Mattis's Marines were ideally positioned to pursue and potentially capture Osama bin Laden. Despite Mattis's urgings, General Franks and other leaders were wary of getting drawn into a protracted guerilla conflict like the one that had bedeviled Soviet forces in Afghanistan during the 1980s.
As a result, Mattis was ordered to keep his forces at Camp Rhino rather than leading a pursuit into Tora Bora. This decision, which Mattis strongly disagreed with but dutifully obeyed, allowed bin Laden to escape. It would be nearly a decade before US forces had another opportunity to bring the Al Qaeda leader to justice.
This episode highlighted a recurring theme in Mattis's career - the tension between his on-the-ground tactical insights and the strategic decisions made by higher authorities. While Mattis understood the importance of following orders, he also recognized how outdated thinking and overly cautious decision-making could lead to missed opportunities in rapidly evolving combat situations.
The Iraq War: Swift Victory and Difficult Aftermath
By early 2002, attention in Washington had shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq. As a newly promoted two-star Major General in command of the 1st Marine Division, Mattis found himself preparing for another major conflict, despite his personal reservations about the necessity of invading Iraq.
Mattis questioned whether Iraq, already weakened by sanctions and contained militarily, truly posed a threat that justified full-scale invasion. However, he understood that as a military officer, his role was to execute the decisions made by elected civilian leadership, regardless of his personal views.
Over the next seven months, Mattis and his staff conducted extensive war games and planning exercises to prepare for the invasion. They focused not just on the initial combat phase, but also on the crucial task of stabilizing Iraq after Saddam Hussein's regime fell.
The invasion, which began on March 20, 2003, initially proceeded even more rapidly than expected. Mattis's Marines made swift progress, encountering the heaviest resistance as they entered Baghdad three weeks into the campaign. Despite some fierce fighting in the capital, the Iraqi army proved incapable of mounting an effective defense. By April 12, Saddam Hussein had been deposed and US forces controlled most of the country.
However, the swift military victory gave way to a chaotic aftermath that the US was ill-prepared to handle. Basic services like water and electricity failed, police disappeared from the streets, and tensions between Iraq's Sunni and Shiite populations threatened to erupt into civil war.
Mattis and other field commanders recognized the critical importance of quickly stabilizing the situation and reintegrating former Iraqi soldiers into a new national army. However, their recommendations were overruled by civilian administrators in the Coalition Provisional Authority.
The decision to disband the Iraqi army and purge all Baath Party members from government positions proved especially disastrous. This policy alienated many skilled professionals who had joined the party out of necessity rather than ideology, and left thousands of trained soldiers unemployed and resentful. Mattis saw this as creating a ready-made pool of recruits for an insurgency against US forces.
Other missteps further undermined trust between Iraqis and their American occupiers. Plans for local elections were repeatedly changed, leaving US military leaders to awkwardly explain policy reversals to Iraqi community leaders they were trying to build relationships with.
By the time Mattis left Iraq in the summer of 2003, he harbored serious doubts about whether the US invasion had created the "better state of peace" that should be the ultimate goal of any military intervention. The swift toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime had given way to a complex and volatile situation that would challenge US forces for years to come.
Escalation and De-escalation in Post-War Iraq
Mattis returned to Iraq in February 2004 to find a deteriorating security situation. A group calling itself Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), led by the ruthless Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had emerged as a potent threat in Anbar province. AQI was waging a brutal campaign of violence against both US forces and rival Iraqi factions.
Faced with this growing insurgency, Mattis initially favored a strategy of de-escalation and community engagement. He instructed his troops to behave respectfully towards Iraqi civilians, avoiding actions that might alienate the local population. This approach aimed to isolate the insurgents by winning the trust and cooperation of ordinary Iraqis.
However, political pressures in Washington pushed for a more aggressive response, particularly after the shocking murder of American contractors in Fallujah in March 2004. Despite Mattis's concerns that a heavy-handed approach might backfire, he was ordered to launch an assault on the city.
The attack on Fallujah began on April 4, 2004, but quickly ran into problems. Images of civilian casualties sparked international outrage, and the United Nations threatened to withdraw from Iraq entirely unless the assault was halted. Just as Mattis's Marines were on the verge of defeating the insurgents, they were ordered to pull back.
This pattern of escalation followed by premature de-escalation would prove costly. It allowed insurgent forces to regroup and reinforced the perception among some Iraqis that the US lacked the will to see the conflict through.
Despite these setbacks, Mattis remained committed to finding a path to stability in Iraq. When he returned to the country in 2006 as commander of I Marine Expeditionary Force, he focused on building relationships with local tribal leaders in Anbar province.
This grassroots approach bore fruit in the form of the Anbar Awakening, a movement that saw Sunni tribal leaders turn against AQI and align themselves with US forces. By cultivating these local alliances and demonstrating a long-term commitment to Iraq's security, Mattis and other commanders began to turn the tide against the insurgency.
By late 2010, after seven years of hard fighting and nation-building efforts, Iraq had achieved a fragile stability. US forces had helped establish a functioning Iraqi government and security forces capable of maintaining order. Mattis believed that with continued US support, Iraq could solidify these gains over the next five years.
However, political considerations in Washington once again intervened. President Obama, fulfilling a campaign promise to end the Iraq War, announced a complete withdrawal of US forces by the end of 2011. This decision came despite warnings from military and intelligence officials that a premature pullout could lead to renewed chaos and conflict.
Mattis's fears about the consequences of withdrawal proved prescient. Within months of the US departure, sectarian tensions in Iraq flared up once again. The Iraqi army, without American support, proved unable to contain a resurgent Sunni insurgency. By 2014, the extremist group ISIS had emerged from this chaos, establishing a self-declared caliphate that would take years of renewed military effort to dismantle.
For Mattis, the premature withdrawal from Iraq represented a stark example of how short-term political considerations can undermine long-term strategic goals. The hard-won gains of years of fighting and nation-building were squandered, leading to renewed suffering for the Iraqi people and the emergence of new threats to regional stability.
Lessons in Leadership and Strategy
Throughout his career, from young Marine officer to four-star general, Jim Mattis accumulated a wealth of insights about effective leadership and military strategy. His experiences offer valuable lessons not just for military personnel, but for anyone in a leadership position.
One of Mattis's core principles is the importance of continuous learning. He emphasizes the need for leaders to be voracious readers, studying history and strategy to broaden their perspectives. This intellectual curiosity allows leaders to draw on a wide range of knowledge when facing complex challenges.
Mattis also stresses the importance of clear communication and building trust with both superiors and subordinates. He advocates for what he calls "Commander's Intent" - ensuring that everyone in an organization understands not just what to do, but why they're doing it. This shared understanding promotes initiative and adaptability in rapidly changing situations.
Another key lesson from Mattis's career is the value of preparation and rehearsal. Whether planning for major combat operations or diplomatic engagements, Mattis insisted on thorough war-gaming and scenario planning. This allowed his teams to anticipate potential problems and develop contingency plans.
Mattis's experiences also highlight the complex relationship between military action and political decision-making. While he always respected civilian control of the military, he often found himself navigating between on-the-ground realities and high-level strategic decisions that sometimes seemed disconnected from those realities.
The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrated to Mattis the limitations of military power alone in achieving lasting political outcomes. He came to believe strongly in the need for a comprehensive approach to national security, integrating diplomatic, economic, and military efforts.
Finally, Mattis's career underscores the importance of ethical leadership and unwavering commitment to one's principles. Even when he disagreed with decisions made by his superiors, Mattis executed his orders to the best of his ability while always looking out for the welfare of the troops under his command.
Conclusion
"Call Sign Chaos" offers a compelling insider's view of American military operations over the past three decades. Through Jim Mattis's eyes, readers gain insight into the strategic thinking, decision-making processes, and leadership challenges involved in modern warfare.
The book serves as both a military memoir and a meditation on the nature of leadership in high-stakes environments. Mattis's accounts of key battles and operations provide gripping narratives of modern combat, while his reflections on successes and failures offer valuable lessons for leaders in any field.
One of the most striking aspects of Mattis's account is his willingness to critically examine US military interventions, including those he participated in. While proud of the dedication and skill of American troops, he is clear-eyed about strategic missteps and missed opportunities that undermined long-term objectives.
Mattis's experiences highlight the often-tense relationship between military and civilian leadership, particularly in the realm of foreign policy. His career spans a period of significant change in how the US approaches military interventions, from the swift, limited operation in Kuwait to the prolonged nation-building efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Throughout the book, Mattis emphasizes the importance of understanding local cultures and building relationships with allies and local populations. His success in fostering the Anbar Awakening in Iraq demonstrates the potential of this approach, while the broader challenges in Iraq and Afghanistan illustrate its difficulties.
"Call Sign Chaos" also serves as a warning about the dangers of short-term thinking in military and foreign policy. Mattis argues persuasively that premature disengagement from conflicts, often driven by domestic political considerations, can squander hard-won gains and create new security threats.
Ultimately, Mattis's book is a call for thoughtful, principled leadership in both military and civilian spheres. He argues for a return to strategic thinking that balances immediate tactical goals with long-term national interests. In an era of complex global challenges, Mattis's insights offer valuable guidance for navigating the difficult terrain of 21st-century conflict and diplomacy.
For readers interested in military history, leadership, or US foreign policy, "Call Sign Chaos" provides a wealth of insights from one of America's most respected military leaders. It's a book that not only recounts past conflicts but also offers important lessons for facing future challenges on the global stage.