US general finds ‘fun’ in Iraq killing

Defense Secretary Donald H.Rumsfeld said after the furor erupted that he had not seen Mattis’ remarks and refused to discuss them.

Mattis told about 200 people at the San Diego Convention Center: ‘‘Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight, you know. It’s a hell of a hoot. It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.’’ Mattis added: ‘‘You go into Afghanistan, you’ve got guys who slapped women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain’t got no manhood left anyway. So it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them.’’

His comments were met with laughter and applause from many in the audience of the forum, held by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Assn. and the US Naval Institute and sponsored by many top US defense contractors. But Thursday, after the comments were reported by San Diego television station KNSD, a prominent Muslim civil liberties group called on the Pentagon to discipline Mattis.

‘‘We do not need generals who treat the grim business of war as a sporting event,’’ said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. ‘‘These disturbing remarks are indicative of an apparent indifference to the value of human life.’’

Awad urged that ‘‘appropriate disciplinary action’’ be taken against Mattis.

In a statement issued earlier on Thursday, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, commandant of the Marine Corps, did not indicate that Mattis faced any discipline. ‘‘Lt. Gen. Mattis often speaks with a great deal of candor,’’ Hagee said. ‘‘I have counseled him concerning his remarks, and he agrees he should have chosen his words more carefully,’’ Hagee added. —LAT-WP