Quotes by James Mattis

Youve been told that youre broken, that youre damaged goods and should be labeled victims. I dont buy it. The truth, instead, is that you are the only folks with the skills, determination, and values to ensure American dominance in this chaotic world.

For whatever trauma came with service in tough circumstances, we should take what we learned - take our post-traumatic growth - and, like past generations coming home, bring our sharpened strengths to bear, bring our attitude of gratitude to bear.

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

The U.S. military is not war weary. Our military draws strength from confronting our enemies when clear policy objectives are set and we are fully resourced for the fight.

If you read enough biography and history, you learn how people have dealt successfully or unsuccessfully with similar situations or patterns in the past. It doesnt give you a template of answers, but it does help you refine the questions you have to ask yourself.

In this age, I dont 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across coalition and national lines, and across civilian/military lines, you need to go home, because your leadership is obsolete.

No matter how bad any situation, cynicism has no positive impact. Watching the news, you might notice that cynicism and victimhood often seem to go hand-in-hand, but not for veterans.

Since coming back from overseas, this is more of a foreign country than the places overseas. I dont understand it. Its like America has lost faith in rational thought.

Treachery has existed as long as theres been warfare, and theres always been a few people that you couldnt trust.