A professional soldier understands that war means killing people, war means maiming people, war means families left without fathers and mothers.

Had we taken all of Iraq, we would have been like a dinosaur in the tar pit - we would still be there, and we, not the United Nations, would be bearing the costs of that occupation.

When placed in command, take charge.

A professional soldier understands that war means killing people, war means maiming people, war means families left without fathers and mothers.

More than 200 ships from 13 nations conducted over 10,000 flawless intercepts, which formed a steel wall around the waters leading to Iraq. And these operations continue today. Thanks to these superb efferts not one cargo hold, not one crate, not even one pallet of seaborne contraband even touched Saddam Hussein's shores. The result: Iraq lost 90% of its imports, 100% of its exports, and had its gross national product cut in half.

Good generalship is a realization that... you've got to try and figure out how to accomplish your mission with a minimum loss of human life.

I admire men of character and I judge character not by how men deal with their superiors, but mostly how they deal with their subordinates. And that, to me, is where you find out what the character of a man is.