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Quote by James Mattis

“With respect to the outlines of what's in the Army Field Manual, there's no doubt in my mind about the limitations it places not only on the DOD, but on the Central Intelligence Agency. And I'll always comply with the law.”

Quote by James Mattis

Author

James Mattis is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 26th United States Secretary of Defense. He has extensive experience in military and diplomatic fields, having participated in several military operations and playing a significant role in international affairs. more

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“Congressman [Mike] Pompeo said he believes the intelligence agencies' claims that Russia hacked the US election.”

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“The United States has been essentially engaged in an ongoing war that most people date from 2001. That war has taken us to Afghanistan, to Iraq, in a lesser way to other countries - Libya, Somalia, Yemen.”

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“What would you do differently as defense secretary to compensate for this record in which the greatest military in the world, as we are constantly told, doesn't get the job done?”

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“I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.”

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“The destruction that we have wreaked in the various theaters in which we've been engaged is really quite astonishing. But again, lethality, destruction, killing doesn't seem to achieve our objectives. So, my own sense is that a lack of lethality does not define the core problem.”

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“I think the core problem is much closer to recognizing where force is of value, where it is useful, and to distinguish that from situations in which war is not useful or is indeed counterproductive.”

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“I think, broadly speaking, the US military's role - US military activism in various parts of the Islamic world over the past several decades has been counterproductive.”

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“I find it disturbing that no member of the Senate Armed Services Committee is willing to acknowledge that record of failure and to ask our next secretary of defense what he proposes to do to amend that sorry record.”

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