U.S. Secretary of Defense designate James Mattis, more popularly known by his nickname "Mad Dog Mattis," stands resolutely against China's unlawful expansionism in the South China Sea, one of the few points he shares with his soon-to-be-boss, President-elect Donald Trump.

While Mattis and Trump disagree on a wide range of topics (Mattis described Trump's dismissal of NATO as "kooky," for example), both agree on a more muscular response to China's unrepentant aggression in Asia despite China's legal defeat that nullified its claim to own the South China Sea.

Like Us on Facebook

The former four star Marine Corps General who was once Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) responsible for the Middle East is mostly described as a warrior monk, an intellectual and the "quintessential Marine" who spent over four decades in the Corps he loves.

A voracious reader and bibliophile who once ordered his officers to read military history, Mattis has a library of over 7,000 books. Mattis, 66 and a bachelor, is known to disfavor the sobriquet "Mad Dog" frequently attached to his name.

That nickname was appended to his name because of many a colorful utterance such as ""Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everybody you meet." Mattis retired from the Marines in 2013.

Trump holds Mattis in very high regard. In November after he made known Mattis was one of his candidates for SecDef, Trump tweeted ""General James "Mad Dog" Mattis, who is being considered for Secretary of Defense, was very impressive yesterday. A true General's General!"

Trump later said, "They say he's the closest thing to Gen. George Patton that we have and it's about time."

It isn't known if the gruff and outspoken Mattis has a similarly fulsome opinion of Trump.

Unsurprisingly, Mattis favors a very strong U.S. military. His current worldview has been shaped by his experience in the Middle East as CENTCOM commander. He is steadfastly anti-Iran.

Mattis once said the three gravest threats facing the U.S. are "Iran, Iran, Iran." And after Iran, there's Russia and China.

Mattis has called for boosting U.S. naval power by building more warships and deploying more advanced technologies in light of Beijing's increasing and unrelenting aggression in the South China Sea.

"While our efforts in the Pacific to keep positive relations with China are well and good, these efforts must be paralleled by a policy to build the counterbalance if China continues to expand its bullying role in the South China Sea and elsewhere," he said.

Mattis once said China must be denied "veto power" over the territorial claims, security and economic conditions in the Pacific.

He also called on the United States, especially the Congress, "to adapt to changing circumstances, to come out now from our reactive crouch and take a firm, strategic stance in defense of our values."

Congress must play a key role in developing this "refreshed national strategy" that will guide the military forward as it faces down the United States five greatest threats: Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs).

TagsJames Mattis, Secretary of Defense, United States, Donald Trum, donald trump, Mad Dog, Mad Dog Mattis, United States Marine Corps, United States Central Command