Few Good Men, A quotes

View Quote Kaffee: Is your father proud of you?
Sam: Don't do this to yourself.
Kaffee: I'll bet he is, I bet he bores the shit out of neighbors and relatives, Sam's made law review, got a real big case he's making. Arguing, he's making an argument. I think my father would've liked to see me graduate from law school, I think he would've enjoyed that an awful lot.
Sam: Did I ever tell you I wrote a paper about your dad in college?
Kaffee: Yeah.
Sam: One of the best trial lawyers ever.
Kaffee: Yes, he was.
Sam: And if I were Dawson and Downey and I were given a choice between you or your father to represent me in this case, I'd pick you every day of the week and twice on Sunday. You should've seen yourself thunder away at Kendrick.
Kaffee: Would you put Jessep on the stand?
Sam: No.
Kaffee: You think my father would've?
Sam: With the evidence we got, not in a million years. But here's the thing, and there's really no way of getting around this. Neither Lionel Kaffee nor Sam Weinberg is lead defense in the matter of the U.S. vs. Dawson and Downey, so there's really only one question. What would you do?

View Quote Kaffee: Colonel, I have just one more question before I call Airman O'Malley and Airman Rodriguez. If you gave an order that Santiago wasn't to be touched, and your orders are always followed, then why would Santiago be in danger? Why would it be necessary to transfer him off the base?
Jessep: Santiago was a substandard Marine. He was being transferred because--
Kaffee: That is not what you said, you said he was being transferred because he was in grave danger.
Jessep: That's correct.
Kaffee: You said he was in danger, I said "grave danger?" You said "is there another kind?"--
Jessep: I recall what I said--
Kaffee: I can have the court reporter read back to you--
Jessep: I know what I said! I don't have to have it read back to me like I'm--!
Kaffee: Then why the two orders? Colonel?
Jessep: Sometimes men take matters into their own hands.
Kaffee: No, Sir. You made it clear a moment ago that your men never take matters in to their own hands. Your men follow orders or people die. So Santiago shouldn't have been in any danger at all, should he have, Colonel?
Jessep: You snotty little bastard.
Ross: Your Honor, I'd like to ask for a recess!
Kaffee: I'd like an answer to the question, Judge.
Judge: The court will wait for an answer.
Kaffee: If Lt. Kendrick gave an order that Santiago wasn't to be touched, then why did he have to be transferred? Colonel? Lt. Kendrick ordered the Code Red, didn't he, because that's what you told Lt. Kendrick to do!
Ross: Object!
Kaffee: And when it went bad, you cut these guys loose!
Judge: Lt. Kaffee!
Kaffee: You got Markinson to sign a phony transfer order! You doctored the log books!
Ross: Dammit, Kaffee!
Kaffee: You coerced the doctor!
Judge: Consider yourself in contempt!
Kaffee: Colonel Jessep, did you order the code red?!
Judge: You don't have to answer that question!
Jessep: I'll answer the question. You want answers?
Kaffee: I think I'm entitled.
Jessep: You want answers?!
Kaffee: I want the truth!
Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You?! You, Lieutenant Weinberg?! I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives! You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall! You need me on that wall! We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline! I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said, "Thank you," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!
Kaffee: Did you order the Code Red?
Jessep: I did the job I was sent to do--
Kaffee: Did you order the Code Red?!
Jessep: You're god damn right I did!!

View Quote "I strenuously object?" Is that how it works? Hmm? "Objection." "Overruled." "No, no. I strenuously object." "Oh. You strenuously object. Then I'll take some time and reconsider."

View Quote Dear Mr. and Mrs. Santiago, I was William's company commander. I knew your son vaguely, which is to say I knew his name. In a matter of time, the trial of the two men charged with your son's death will be concluded, and seven men and two women whom you've never met will try to offer you an explanation as to why William is dead. For my part, I've done as much as I can to bring the truth to light. And the truth is this: Your son is dead for only one reason. I wasn't strong enough to stop it. Always, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson, United States Marine Corps. After writing letter, Markinson pulls a pistol from his uniform, places the barrel into his mouth and fires]

View Quote Kaffee: Am I correct to assume that these letters don't paint a flattering picture of Marine Corps life at Guantanamo Bay?
Galloway: Yes, among —
Kaffee: And am I also right in assuming that an investigation of this incident might cause some embarrassment to the Security Council guy?
Galloway: Colonel Jessep--
Kaffee: Twelve years.
Galloway: I'm sorry?
Kaffee: I'll get them to drop the Conspiracy and Conduct Unbecoming. Twelve years.
Galloway: You haven't talked to a witness or looked at a piece of paper.
Kaffee: Pretty impressive, huh?
Galloway: You're going to have to go deeper than that.
Kaffee: Commander do you have some sort of jurisdiction I should know about.
Galloway: My job, is to make sure you do you job. I'm special counsel for Internal Affairs, so my "jurisdiction's" pretty much in your face.

View Quote Galloway: [crisply, after Kaffee's risen prematurely to leave] You're dismissed.
Kaffee: [pause] I always forget that part.

View Quote Kaffee: All right, what's the code?
Dawson: Unit, Corps, God, country.
Kaffee: Come again?
Dawson: Unit, Corps, God, country. Sir.
Kaffee: The United States of America wants to charge the two of you with murder & you want me to go before the judge with "Unit, Corps, God, country"?

View Quote Jessep: Transfer Santiago off the base. Yes, I'm sure that's the thing to do. Wait, I have a better idea. Why don't we just transfer the whole squad off the base? As a matter of fact, why don't we just transfer the whole Windward Division off the base? John, go on out there and tell those boys to come down off the wall, they're packing their bags. Tom!
Tom: Yes, sir!
Jessep: Get me the President on the phone. We're surrendering our position in Cuba!
Tom: Yes, sir.
Jessep: Wait a minute, Tom, don't call the President just yet. Perhaps we should consider this for a moment. Dismissed, Tom. You know, maybe we have an obligation to young William. Maybe we as officers have a responsibility to our country to see to it that the men assigned to protect it are properly trained... yes, I'm certain I've read that somewhere and while your suggestion, Lt. Col. Markinson, of transferring William off the base, while expeditious and certainly painless, might not be, in a matter of speaking, the American way. Santiago stays where he is. We're gonna train the lad! Maybe, and I'm just spit-balling here, maybe we have a responsibility as officers to train Santiago. Maybe we as officers have a responsibility to this country to see that the men and women charged with its security are trained professionals. Yes, I'm certain that I read that somewhere once. John, you're in charge. Santiago doesn't make 4-6-4-6 on his next proficiency and conduct report and I'm going to blame you. And then I'm going to kill you.

View Quote Weinberg: Why do you like them so much?
Galloway: Because they stand on a wall. And they say, "Nothing's gonna hurt you tonight, not on my watch."

View Quote Kaffee: Yes, Sir. Colonel, at the time of this meeting, you gave Lt. Kendrick an order, is that right?
Jessep: I told Kendrick to tell his men, that Santiago wasn't to be touched.
Kaffee: And did you give an order to Colonel Markinson as well?
Jessep: I ordered Markinson to have Santiago transferred off the base immediately.
Kaffee: Why?
Jessep: I felt his life might be in danger once word of the letter got out.
Kaffee: Grave danger?
Jessep: Is there another kind?

View Quote Judge: The court members will retire to an anteroom until further instructed.
MP: All rise!
Jessep: What is this? I did my job, I'd do it again. I'm gonna get in a plane and go back to my base.
Judge: You're not going anywhere, Colonel. MP's, guard the Colonel.
MP: Yes, sir!
Judge: Captain Ross.
Ross: Colonel Jessep, you have the right to remain silent--
Jessep: What is this? I'm being charged with a crime? Is that what this is? I'm being charged with a crime?! This is funny. That's what this is. This is-- [leaps towards Kaffee, MP's restrain him] I'm gonna rip the eyes out of your head and piss into your dead skull! You ****ed with the wrong Marine!
Ross: Colonel Jessep, do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?
Jessep: You ****in' people. You have no idea how to defend a nation. All you did was weaken a country today, Kaffee. That's all you did. You put people's lives in danger. Sweet dreams, son.
Kaffee: Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer and an officer in the United States Navy. And you're under arrest, you son of a bitch. The witness is excused.

View Quote This is a sales pitch. It's not going to be won by the law, it's going to be won by the lawyers.

View Quote Whatever happened to saluting an officer when he leaves the room? [Dawson stands up and shoves his hands in his pockets]

View Quote Oh, now I see what you're saying! It had to be Professor Plum, in the library, with the candlestick!

View Quote We have softball games and marching bands. They work at a place where you have to wear camouflage or you might get shot!