US 'war is fun' general rebuked

By Adam Brookes
BBC News Pentagon correspondent

Gen Mattis described fighting as 'a hell of a hoot'

The US Marine Corps has publicly upbraided one of its generals for his comments describing shooting people in Iraq as "fun".

Discussing fighting in Iraq, the General said he liked brawling and enjoyed shooting people.

The Marine Corps said Lt Gen James Mattis had been "counselled" concerning his remarks, made during a panel discussion in California.

The general had agreed he should have chosen his words more carefully.

Gen Mattis is a hardened veteran of combat and appears to have developed a taste for it.

During the discussion, he spoke of his experience fighting in Iraq as commander of the 1st Marine Division.

Public gaffe

Caught on tape, he said: "Actually, it's quite a lot of fun to fight; you know, it's a hell of a hoot. I like brawling; it's fun to shoot some people."

In the context of Afghanistan, he said men who slapped around women for not wearing a veil had no manhood and it was fun to shoot them.

The commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen Mike Hagee, later issued a statement saying he had counselled Gen Mattis on his remarks.

The statement praised Gen Mattis as a brave and brilliant military leader and it seems there will be no disciplinary action.