TOM RICKS ON THE MATTIS PICK: The General Who Should Lead the Pentagon.

General Mattis is not another George Patton, a comparison Mr. Trump is fond of making. General Mattis, who retired in 2013, after leading United States Central Command for three years, is far more disciplined than Patton was, and a far more strategic thinker.

Usually, I’d oppose having a general as secretary of defense, because it could undermine our tradition of civilian control of the military.

But these are not normal times. The incoming president appears to be a profoundly ignorant man who often seems to act on gut impulse or on what pleases the crowd. That is a dangerous combination to have in the White House. Having known General Mattis for many years, I am confident that he will be a restraint on Mr. Trump’s impulsiveness. . . .

The public notion of generals is that they know how to use only the military as a means of policy and so are more likely to get the nation into wars. That is a false conception in most cases, but especially in this one. General Mattis knows that war is the last resort, not the first one. He also understands that the threat of force works best when it works in conjunction with robust diplomatic efforts.

Some in Congress have said that they oppose waiving the law that bans recently retired generals from being secretary of defense. (Such a waiver was required to give Marshall the job.) But Congress did not bar generals from the office, it only required that they be out of uniform for seven years. The idea was to make people consider that it is unusual, and a departure from American tradition, to have military men or women in the position. In this case, waiving the law is the best course.

Here’s a thought: Maybe Trump isn’t as impulsive or ignorant as you think. Maybe that’s why he picked Mattis.

UPDATE: From the comments: “First rate leaders surround themselves with first rate staff. Second rate leaders surround themselves with third rate staff. Looking at their cabinet nominees, it’s easy to tell what kind of leader Obama is versus Trump.”

By the way, for those readers who don’t know who Tom Ricks is, his book about the Marines, Making the Corps, is really first-rate. But it’s 20 years old, and there’s been a lot of Derangement Syndrome under the bridge since then. . . .

ANOTHER UPDATE: Wow, Louise is really into this appointment:

MORE: Reportedly, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) may oppose Mattis over transgender rights in the military. I hope she does. . . .