The American people and the American military will never get used to civilian casualties. And we will - we will fight against that every way we can possibly bring our intelligence and our tactics to bear. We're not the perfect guys, but we are the good guys.

James Mattis

We've backed off in good faith to try and give you a chance to straighten this problem out. But I am going to beg with you for a minute. I'm going to plead with you, do not cross us. Because if you do, the survivors will write about what we do here for 10,000 years.

James Mattis

patriotic military faith

Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

James Mattis

sniping marine-corps bad-ass

Nothing keeps me awake at night. I keep other people awake at night.

James Mattis

awake night people

You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon.

James Mattis

marine-corps military enemy

Find the enemy that wants to end this experiment (in American democracy) and kill every one of them until they're so sick of the killing that they leave us and our freedoms intact.

James Mattis

democracy sick enemy

I don't lose any sleep at night over the potential for failure. I cannot even spell the word.

James Mattis

sleep night enemy

There are hunters and there are victims. By your discipline...you will decide if you are a hunter or a victim.

James Mattis

hunters discipline military

PowerPoint makes us stupid.

James Mattis

powerpoint stupid enemy

You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap 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. 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 up front with you — I like brawling.

James Mattis

marine military fun

I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and having a root beer together or something and - and having a good laugh about it as we work together for the best interests of the next generation of Americans who are going to inherit this country.

James Mattis

beer laughing country

Demonstrate to the world there is "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" than a U.S. Marine.

James Mattis

mad-dogs marine enemy

If in order to kill the enemy you have to kill an innocent, don't take the shot. Don't create more enemies than you take out by some immoral act.

James Mattis

innocent order enemy

No war is over until the enemy says it's over. We may think it over, we may declare it over, but in fact, the enemy gets a vote.

James Mattis

war enemy thinking

The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears.

James Mattis

important ears enemy

You can overcome wrong technology. Your people have the initiative, they see the problem, no big deal ... you can't overcome bad culture. You've gotta change whoever is in charge.

James Mattis

technology military people

You've been told that you're broken. That you're damaged goods ... there is also Post-Traumatic Growth. You come back from war stronger and more sure of who you are.

James Mattis

broken military war

There are some people who think you have to hate them in order to shoot them. I don't think you do. It's just business.

James Mattis

hate order thinking

In this age, I don't care how tactically or operationally brilliant you are, if you cannot create harmony - even vicious harmony - on the battlefield based on trust across service lines, across coalition and national lines, and across civilian/military lines, you need to go home, because your leadership is obsolete. We have got to have officers who can create harmony across all those lines.

James Mattis

military home enemy

There is nothing better than getting shot at and missed. It's really great.

James Mattis

great-dog shots military

You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it's going to be bad.

James Mattis

dream people enemy