Major General Smedley Darlington ButlerMajor General Smedley Darlington Butler, (1881-1940) Major General USMC, "Old Gimlet Eye'' and "Hell Devil Darling", most highly decorated military man from the pre-World War II era

Major General Smedley Darlington Butler Quote

“I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.”

Major General Smedley Darlington ButlerMajor General Smedley Darlington Butler
~ Major General Smedley Darlington Butler

from a speech in 1933

Ratings and Comments


Mike, Norwalk

pretty accurate

Reb, Jerusalem

The man is an idiot.

RobertSRQ
  • Reply
RobertSRQ    9/25/07

Unfortunately its idiots that start wars and we have a lots of them... and then we send our boys and girls to the front line as fodder to loose their lives for greed and foolishness. Smedley hits the nail on the head.

John, TC, MN

Interesting that the Maj. Gen. shared these observations in the context of effectively leaving Hitler alone and staying out of WWII.

E Archer, NYC

After what Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler went through, it is no surprise he arrived at the conclusion that 'War Is A Racket' -- the title of his 1935 book.

Paul, Union, WA

The scam of govt and war is ancient, and we never learn the deception of the powerful. Read the following, forget the religious aspect and just see it as historical proof this scam was exposed 3000 yr ago and we STILL won't listen: 1 Sam 8:6-18 "But when (Israel) said, 'Give us a king [king, Congress, premier, president, call it what you will] to lead us,' (God told Samuel to) 'warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.' ...'This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. [Oh that Congress would be so kind as to take just a tenth!] Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."

warren, olathe

Another idiot.

Roseann27Cole, US

All people deserve wealthy life and loans or auto loan can make it better. Because freedom relies on money state.

Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

What we need in the United States are highly polished diplomatic individuals of principled refinement in our institutions. This feature would be able to handle any foreign or domestic problem that might arrive on our social radar. This feature would stimulate a whole new national attitude of self and community assurance.

@

Get a Quote-a-Day!

Liberty Quotes sent to your mail box daily.