James Mattis quits as White House braces for exit from Afghanistan

US Defence Secretary quits after Donald Trump ignores advice to keep troops in Syria and considers exiting Afghanistan.

The president has long wanted to reduce or end the US military mission in Afghanistan. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

US Defence Secretary James Mattis has resigned because of differences with Donald Trump who this week ignored his advice to keep US troops in Syria to fight Islamic State.

The shock resignation, which takes effect in February, comes as the President considers a substantial reduction of the 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan only a day after his controversial decision to withdraw all 2000 troops from Syria.

In his resignation letter to the president, Mr Mattis in effect said that he could no longer work with a president whose views differed so much from his own.

“Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects I believe it is right for me to step down from my position,” Mr Mattis told the president in a two page resignation letter.

The departure of Mr Mattis is a major blow for the White House given his experience and his previous moderating effect on some of Mr Trump’s more erratic impulses on defense and foreign policy.

The news broke at the same time as reports that Mr Trump is considering reducing US military involvement in Afghanistan.

General Jim Mattis will be retiring, with distinction, at the end of February, after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years. During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018

....equipment. General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018

Such a move, along with the Syria decision, would effectively recast America’s global military posture, reflecting the whims of an increasingly isolationist president.

Mr Trump has long wanted to reduce or end the US military mission in Afghanistan but has been persuaded by experts in the past to retain a substantial US military presence in the country.

Around 300 Australian Defense Force personnel are currently in Afghanistan supporting the NATO-led mission, Resolute Support, to help train Afghan forces in their fight against the Taliban.

If the president decides to reduce troop numbers in Afghanistan, the drawdown could begin within weeks, according to reports by the Wall St Journal and CNN. He is still undecided on the move, CNN reports.

Mr Trump said last month that he had maintained the US mission in Afghanistan only because of the advice he had received.

“We’re there because virtually every expert that I have and speak to say if we don’t go there, they’re going to be fighting over here,” he said.

But in a policy statement on Afghanistan in August 2017, the president outlined his own frustration with America’s 17 year military presence in that country.

“I share the American people’s frustration. I also share their frustration over a foreign policy that has spent too much time, energy, money — and, most importantly, lives — trying to rebuild countries in our own image instead of pursuing our security interests above all other considerations,” he said then.

There are currently 39 countries providing personnel for NATO’s Operation Resolute in Afghanistan.

Mr Trump has come under fire from US allies and also from his own party for his decision to withdraw all 2000 US troops from Syria.

The president made the decision despite the advice of Mr Mattis and National Security Adviser John Bolton who had argued that it could allow Islamic State to re-emerge as a threat.

They also warned that a rapid and complete US withdrawal would create a power vacuum, making it easier for Russia and Iran to increase their influence in the war-torn country.

General Mattis’ resignation is a sign Australia needs a self-reliant defence strategy, Liberal Senator Jim Molan said.

Mr Molan said the resignation is seriously concerning for Australia.

“The implications for Secretary Mattis leaving the White House are far far wider than just the effectiveness of the White House he has generally been referred to as one of the adults in the Trump administration,” he told The Australian.

He said Australia must move towards relying less on the United States for the nation’s defence.

“The implications on Australia are the United States who’s military capability now has been severely reduced since the end of the Cold War now has introduced another extreme variable into their decision making and that must be of deep concern to Australia,” he said.

“The answer must be that Australia must be self reliant in its defence.”

Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia