---
title: "2 Adequate Quotes By Smedley Butler"
description: "2 Adequate quotes by Smedley Butler. Plus more from Smedley Butler and more Adequate sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/smedley-butler-17291_adequate_i-believe-in-adequate-defense-at-the-coa_1489219.png"
---

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-believe-in-adequate-defense-at-the-coastline-and-nothing-else-if-a/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/smedley-butler-17291_adequate_i-believe-in-adequate-defense-at-the-coa_1489219.png)

> [War is just a racket... I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-just-a-racket-i-believe-in-adequate-defense-at-the-coastline/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a25/smedley-butler-17291_adequate_war-is-just-a-racket-i-believe-in-adequa_2390786.png)

## Other authors on Adequate

## More by Smedley Butler

> [War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-just-a-racket-a-racket-is-best-described-i-believe-as/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-helped-make-mexico-especially-tampico-safe-for-american-oil/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [“I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-spent-thirty-three-years-and-four-months-in-active-military-service/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [Only those who would be called upon to risk their lives for their country should have the privilege of voting to determine whether the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/only-those-who-would-be-called-upon-to-risk-their-lives-for-their/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [One hundred and twenty Marines were detailed to officer a force of twenty-six hundred Haitians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/one-hundred-and-twenty-marines-were-detailed-to-officer-a-force-of/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [I served in all commissioned ranks from a second Lieutenant to a Major General. And during that time, I spent most of my time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-served-in-all-commissioned-ranks-from-a-second-lieutenant-to-a/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-a-racket-it-always-has-been-it-is-possibly-the-oldest-easily/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [“WAR is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-a-racket-it-always-has-been-it-is-possibly-the-oldest-easily-2/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of the higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/my-mental-faculties-remained-in-suspended-animation-while-i-obeyed/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [We must permit the youth of the land who would bear arms to decide whether or not there should be war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/we-must-permit-the-youth-of-the-land-who-would-bear-arms-to-decide/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [Why don't those damn oil companies fly their own flags on their personal property-maybe a flag with a gas pump on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/why-don-t-those-damn-oil-companies-fly-their-own-flags-on-their/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to major general. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-served-in-all-commissioned-ranks-from-second-lieutenant-to-major/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of the higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/my-mental-faculties-remained-in-suspended-animation-while-i-obeyed-2/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/the-trouble-with-america-is-that-when-the-dollar-only-earns-6-percent/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

> [War Is A Racket : I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-a-racket-i-suspected-i-was-just-part-of-a-racket-at-the-time/)

[Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/)

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