Mattis Quotes – Words of Wisdom from a Respected Military Leader

In war, there is no substitute for victory. – Mattis

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

The first time you blow someone away is not an insignificant event. That said, there are some a**holes in the world that just need to be shot. – Mattis

I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you f*** with me, I’ll kill you all. – Mattis

Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet. – Mattis

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. – Mattis

The most important quality I look for in a soldier is tactical competence; absolute trust hinges on it. – Mattis

Demonstrate to the world there is ‘No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy’ than a U.S. Marine. – Mattis

Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit. – Mattis

The most lethal weapons system in the world is a marine and his rifle. – Mattis

Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. – Mattis

Be the hunter, not the hunted. – Mattis

Victory is the only option. – Mattis

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. – Mattis

Mattis Quotes – Words of Wisdom from a Respected Military Leader part 2

The first time you blow someone away is not an insignificant event. – Mattis

The enemy will always have a vote. – Mattis

There is nothing better than getting shot at and missed. It’s really great. – Mattis

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

The most important 6 inches on the battlefield is between your ears. – Mattis

It’s quite fun to shoot them, you know. It’s a hell of a hoot. It’s fun to shoot some people. – Mattis

Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. – Mattis

The danger is not that we will become unfit for war, but that we will become unfit for democracy. – Mattis

When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend because she knows she can do better. – Mattis

The problem is not so much my enemy’s skill, but his intent. – Mattis

There is no room for self-indulgence, no room for weakness, no room for divided allegiance. – Mattis

Be the hunter, not the hunted. – Mattis

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. – Mattis

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. – Mattis

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

Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet. – Mattis

You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. And they’ve got to be dealt with. I don’t care whether you are Democrat, Republican, or a Socialist, you cannot leave them to sit there. – Mattis

Marines don’t die, they just go to hell and regroup. – Mattis

Powerpoint makes us stupid. – Mattis

Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. – Mattis

No war is over until the enemy says it’s over. – Mattis

I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you f*** with me, I’ll kill you all. – Mattis

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

The most important qualifications of a leader are vision and character. – Mattis

The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with secrecy. – Mattis

Sometimes it’s worse to win a battle than to lose one. – Mattis

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

Be the hunter, not the hunted. – Mattis

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. – Mattis

It is a bewildering world, but for us, when we gird for conflict, we make no excuses for our errors and we never hesitate. – Mattis

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. – Mattis