James “Mad Dog” Mattis, the esteemed Ex-Marine and current Secretary of Defense, is quite popular for his brutally honest quotes about war and also for his overall effectiveness as a military leader. His popularity and reverence can be judged by the fact that upon his retirement from the Marine Corps, the Marine Corps Times named him the “most revered Marine in a generation.”
On Sunday, during an interview with John Dickerson, host of CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Mattis further personified his reputation.
Mattis and Dickerson, during the wide ranging interview, discussed a number of issues, more importantly the threats currently facing the US, including the unrest in the Middle East, North Korea, and ISIS.
However, when Dickerson asked Mattis what keeps him up at night, he didn’t hesitate with his response.
“What keeps you awake at night?” Dickerson asked.
With absolutely no hesitation, Mattis replied: “Nothing. I keep other people awake at night.”
Mattis was indeed, dead serious.
Like mentioned earlier, the 4-star Marine general is renowned for his quotes. Here are some of his most memorable ones.
“Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”
“I don’t lose any sleep at night over the potential for failure. I cannot even spell the word.”
“I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you f*ck with me, I’ll kill you all.”
“The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears.”