Rules of Engagement (2000)

Samuel L. Jackson: Colonel Terry Childers

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Quotes 

• Colonel 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 nobody gets hurt? Yes, innocent people probably died. Innocent people always die but I did not exceed my orders.

• Major Mark Biggs : There are rules and Marines are sworn to uphold them.

  Colonel Terry L. Childers : I was not going to stand by and see another Marine die just to live by those fucking rules.

• Colonel Terry L. Childers : Six, Red Man! Engage hostile targets as they appear! Deadly force is authorized! How copy, over?

  Capt. 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?

  Colonel 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!

  Colonel Terry L. Childers : Yes, God damn it! Waste the motherfuckers!

• Colonel Hayes Hodges : If this gets bad, it gets bad for both of us.

  Colonel Terry L. Childers : Why, Hodge? Are you going to jail too?

• Colonel Terry L. Childers : Listen... when I turned 18, I joined the Marine Corps, I ASKED to be in the Infantry, I ASKED to go to Vietnam...

  Colonel Hayes Hodges : Terry...

  Colonel Terry L. Childers : I live for the privelidge of commanding troops, I think it's the greatest honor an American can have...

  Colonel Hayes Hodges : Terry...

  Colonel Terry L. Childers : Do you know how many birthdays and Christmases I missed spent rotting in jungles or in the desert just so you could play war at ROTC?

  Colonel Hayes Hodges : CHILDERS! You got to keep your shit together here, man. Your court martial boys is going to be made up of people who might have spent one day in Grenada, maybe two days in Kuwait, they're going to be beach boys who've never been anywhere near combat, they're going to be people like Tom Chandler sitting right here in front of you. That's who you're making your case to.

  Tom Chandler : We don't have anybody to back up your case.

  Colonel Terry L. Childers : That's because all my witnesses are dead.