A biography for Jim Mattishasn’t been written yet.
“The Marines have landed, and we now own a piece of Afghanistan.”
“I would just say there is one misperception of our veterans, and that is they are somehow damaged goods. I don't buy it.”
“I have never thought it necessary to patronize the American people.”
“Be the hunter, not the hunted.”
“The Corps is in good hands, and it's been a privilege to serve with the Leathernecks. Now it's time to go.”
“I've had some 'riotous excursions of the human spirit' alongside the young Sailors and Marines, and it's time to leave the stage to the young leaders who got their rank the old-fashioned way - they earned their stripes in combat.”
“There's an urgent need to stop reacting to each immediate vexing issue in isolation. Such response often creates unanticipated second-order effects and even more problems for us.”
“The example that America knows how to govern itself is one of the compelling aspects of our national security.”
“Basically, Islamic State is a combined al Qaeda and Lebanese Hezbollah on steroids, destabilizing the region, dissolving borders/changing the political geography in the Mid-east, and hardening political positions that make Mid-east peace-building more remote by the day.”
“It's a lot easier to stay idealistic if you don't sign two to five next-of-kin letters every day.”
“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.”
“I have never been bewildered for long in any fight with our enemies - I was Armed with Insight.”
“There is no room for military people, including our veterans, to see themselves as victims, even if so many of our countrymen are prone to relish that role.”
“Some people feel affronted when something they thought to be true doesn't happen. If that's the case, then your sense of risk is much higher, and that leads to risk aversion. You need to be able to be comfortable in uncertainty.”
“Wherever the enemy wants to fight, we will follow him to the ends of the Earth. We'll adapt, we'll train, we'll advise, we'll mentor, and we'll fight, and we'll fight well.”
“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.”
“For the mission's sake, for our country's sake, and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past battles - carry out your mission and keep your honor clean.”
“If you can't eat it, shoot it, or wear it, don't bring it.”
“Demonstrate to the world, there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a U.S. Marine.”
“I was a Marine for 41 years, and it wasn't long enough. We enjoy putting on that uniform.”