5 quotes
Combat Reality vs. Training Memory
Maj. Mark Biggs
Let me get this straight. You evacuate the Ambassador. You go back to the roof. Two of your Marines are K.I.A. A third, Sergeant Krasevitch, dies. You give your captain an order which he doesn't follow; in fact, he questions. And then you said what?
Col. Terry L. Childers
I don't remember.
Maj. Mark Biggs
You don't remember what you said next?
Col. Terry L. Childers
It was combat, not some training exercise.
Maj. Mark Biggs
A moment later, your men were shooting. What did you say to make that happen?
Col. Terry L. Childers
I don't know.
Maj. Mark Biggs
You must have said something. Captain Lee reversed himself. What did you say?
Col. Terry L. Childers
I don't know the exact words.
Maj. Mark Biggs
Let me help you.
Col. Hayes Hodges
Your Honor.
Maj. Mark Biggs
You said "Waste the motherfuckers," didn't you?
Col. Terry L. Childers
No, no, no...
Maj. Mark Biggs
You didn't say it?
Col. Terry L. Childers
It all happened so fast-
Maj. Mark Biggs
You're under oath, Colonel! Let me refresh your memory. This is Exhibit Q, a tape recording made aboard the U.S.S. Wake lsland of all radio communications received that day, including your exact words. Your Honor, with your permission, I would like to play this tape.
[Childers hesitates and doesn't reply.]
Col. Terry L. Childers
If you got it on tape, then that's what I said! They were killing my Marines, so, yeah, I said it! "Waste the motherfuckers!
Maj. Mark Biggs
Are these "the motherfuckers"?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection.
Judge
Overruled.
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes!
Maj. Mark Biggs
These?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection!
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes!
Maj. Mark Biggs
These?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection!
Judge
Overruled.
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes!
Maj. Mark Biggs
Are these "the motherfuckers" that you ordered to be wasted?
Judge
Major.
Col. Terry Childers
YES!
Col. Hayes Hodges
Your Honor...
Major Mark Biggs
The crowd in front of the embassy had no weapons, did they, Colonel?
Col. Hayes Hodges
Objection! We found no snipers weapons, either!
Col. Terry L. Childers
Yes, they had weapons! You think there's a script for fighting a war without pissing somebody off?! Follow the rules and no one gets hurt?! Yes, innocent people probably died. Innocent people always die! But I did not exceed my orders!
Maj. Mark Biggs
There are rules and Marines are sworn to uphold them!
Col. Terry L. Childers
I was NOT going to stand by and see another Marine die just to live by those fucking rules!
Judge
Colonel!
[Bangs his gavel]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Defense of a Marine's Honor and Sacrifice
Colonel Hayes Hodges
Here's my case, it's all I've got. Thirty-two years of service, thirty-two years of heroism as a United States Marine, regardless of what you decide here, Colonel Childers career as a Marine is over. He will never again command men in combat. The Ambassador and his family are alive today because of him, and I know how the Ambassador feels because Colonel Childers saved my life too. I am alive today only because of him! I'm alive today and I have a son, because of the heroism of Colonel Childers. To ask this man to risk his life for his country, to ask this man to watch his Marines die in his arms and call it murder when he's defending himself, to call it murder for firing back when being fired upon, to call it murder for saving the lives of his countrymen under the most extreme of circumstances, that's... my fellow Marines... that's hanging him out to dry... and it's worse than leaving him wounded on a battlefield. That is something you do not do if you are a United States Marine, and it is something I pray to God you won't do here either.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Confronting the Consequences of Military Actions
Major Mark Biggs
Colonel Terry Childers is a decorated war hero, a trusted leader of American Marines, and I wish that was all there was to it. Unfortunately, there are 83 dead Yemeni citizens, many of them women and children. Colonel Hodges would have you believe that this crowd was armed. He would also have you believe that there is a videotape proving this to be true. There is no tape exonerating Colonel Childers. There is no evidence exonerating Colonel Childers. Is Colonel Childers a man capable of killing defenseless, unarmed people? Is he capable of ordering the execution of innocent men and women? Is he capable of executing P.O.W.s with his own hand? Unfortunately, we have shown that he is. You have heard the sad testimony of Colonel Cao, who witnessed Colonel Childers barbarism firsthand. You've even heard Colonel Childers own admission that his desire was to "waste" them, regardless of who they were. Now, we are faced with the difficult prospect of convicting one of our own. None of us wants to do this, but you've heard the facts, and it is unavoidable. Colonel Terry Childers ordered the senseless slaughter of a peaceful crowd! Now, as Marines, we do not get the luxury of covering up our mistakes. We must air them, thereby ensuring that they never happen again.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Testimony and Accountability After Three Decades
Maj. Mark Biggs
Colonel. You realize in light of Colonel Cao's testimony, we'll be pushing for charges on the Ca Lu incident.
Col. Hayes Hodges
That was 30 years ago; you're going to have a hard time finding witnesses.
Maj. Mark Biggs
Well, I thought maybe you'd be willing to testify.
Colonel Hayes Hodges
I'll make you a deal. If you can tell me right now what the life expectancy was for a second lieutenant dropped into a hot LZ in Vietnam in 1968, I'll tell you everything I remember about Ca Lu.
Major Mark Biggs
One week.
Colonel Hayes Hodges
Negative. Sixteen minutes. Sixteen fucking minutes. That's all I remember.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Conflict Over Rules of Engagement
Colonel Terry L. Childers
Six, Red Man! Engage hostile targets as they appear! Deadly force is authorized! How copy, over?
Captain Lee
Red Man, Red Man, Trans Six Actual! Negative, negative! Be advised I have women and children in my line of fire! I got snipers in the buildings at 400 meters! How copy, over?
Col. Terry L. Childers
What is it about this order you don't understand, Captain Lee?!
Capt. Lee
Sir, are you ordering me to fire into the crowd? Over!
Col. Terry L. Childers
YES, GOD DAMN IT! WASTE THE MOTHERFUCKERS!
Capt. Lee
Six out. Engage, engage! OPEN FIRE!
[To his Marines]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.