---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't see lethality as the problem. I…"
description: "\"I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.\" — James Mattis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/james-mattis-9515_force_i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-m_628403.png"
---

#  I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the…

![“I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/james-mattis-9515_force_i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-m_628403.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/james-mattis-9515_force_i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-m_628403.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/james-mattis-9515_force_i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-m_628403.png)

> “I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.”

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He distinguishes lethality as a capability, not a moral problem, noting US forces’ effectiveness.

**In simple terms:** Lethality is a strategic asset, not a moral issue.

Key Takeaway

Understand the role of force in national security.

Themes

military ethics strategy power

Mood

serious thoughtful

Type

strategic ethical

When to use this quote

- policy planning
- military training
- international negotiations
- defense budgeting

Key Concepts

deterrence theory combat effectiveness

Questions to Reflect On

- When does lethal capability become a moral dilemma?
- How can we balance effectiveness with humanitarian law?

A Different Perspective

High lethality can raise ethical concerns and escalation risks.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Don Lethality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-lethality-5070228/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Lethality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lethality-995741/) [Lethality Forces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lethality-forces-5070226/) [Lethality Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lethality-problem-5070225/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mean Lethality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-lethality-5070227/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Remarkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remarkable/)

## Related quotes

> [The destruction that we have wreaked in the various theaters in which we've been engaged is really quite astonishing. But again, lethality, destruction, killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/the-destruction-that-we-have-wreaked-in-the-various-theaters-in-which/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul on the road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-scriptures-record-remarkable-accounts-of-men-whose-lives-changed/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [The epoch of Customary Law, and of its custody by a privileged order, is a very remarkable one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james-sumner-maine/the-epoch-of-customary-law-and-of-its-custody-by-a-privileged-order/)

[Henry James Sumner Maine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james-sumner-maine/)

> [I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I think your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-remarkable-ideas-i-think-your/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [But it is impossible to divide a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into fourth powers, or generally any power beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-fermat/but-it-is-impossible-to-divide-a-cube-into-two-cubes-or-a-fourth/)

[Pierre de Fermat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-fermat/)

> [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [In issues of recent ethnic wars and genocides - particularly if you look at Darfur - one of the most remarkable things is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/in-issues-of-recent-ethnic-wars-and-genocides-particularly-if-you/)

[Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/)

> [“It is a remarkable fact that we must die, and yet we live as if we were to live forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guicciardini/it-is-a-remarkable-fact-that-we-must-die-and-yet-we-live-as-if-we/)

[Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guicciardini/)

> [Donald Trump threatened to file a defamation suit against me for running a TV ad that consisted only entirely of his own words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-threatened-to-file-a-defamation-suit-against-me-for/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [The holiness of the church means that life, as well as truth, marks Christ’s church; the behavior of Christians in the world must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clowney/the-holiness-of-the-church-means-that-life-as-well-as-truth-marks/)

[Edmund Clowney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clowney/)

> [There is always one option that is completely within your control: the ability to work harder than anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-always-one-option-that-is-completely-within-your-control-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The sugar maple is remarkable for its clean ankle. The groves of these trees looked like vast forest sheds, their branches stoppingshort at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-sugar-maple-is-remarkable-for-its-clean-ankle-the-groves-of-these/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Learning to speak was the most remarkable thing you ever did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/learning-to-speak-was-the-most-remarkable-thing-you-ever-did/)

[Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/)

> [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/)

[Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/)

> [It's still possible to savor the remarkable foods that millennia of human ingenuity have teased from milk. A sip of milk itself or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mcgee/it-s-still-possible-to-savor-the-remarkable-foods-that-millennia-of/)

[Harold McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-mcgee/)

## More by James Mattis

> [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [The first time you blow someone away is not an insignificant event. That said, there are some \*\*\*\*\*\*\*s in the world that just need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/the-first-time-you-blow-someone-away-is-not-an-insignificant-event/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [With respect to the outlines of what's in the Army Field Manual, there's no doubt in my mind about the limitations it places not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/with-respect-to-the-outlines-of-what-s-in-the-army-field-manual-there/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [We can kill lots of people. We do kill lots of people. We can destroy virtually anything we choose to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-can-kill-lots-of-people-we-do-kill-lots-of-people-we-can-destroy/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [I just hope we can find our way back to engaging with one another, arguing strongly with one another, and then going down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-just-hope-we-can-find-our-way-back-to-engaging-with-one-another/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [We've backed off in good faith to try and give you a chance to straighten this problem out. But I am going to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-ve-backed-off-in-good-faith-to-try-and-give-you-a-chance-to/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [You've been told that you're broken. That you're damaged goods ... there is also Post-Traumatic Growth. You come back from war stronger and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-ve-been-told-that-you-re-broken-that-you-re-damaged-goods-there/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [It's quite fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/it-s-quite-fun-to-fight-them-you-know-it-s-a-hell-of-a-hoot-it-s-fun/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it's going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-cannot-allow-any-of-your-people-to-avoid-the-brutal-facts-if-they/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [You can overcome wrong technology. Your people have the initiative, they see the problem, no big deal ... you can't overcome bad culture. You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-can-overcome-wrong-technology-your-people-have-the-initiative/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-go-into-afghanistan-you-got-guys-who-slap-women-around-for-five-2/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [We have the most skillful, firecest, and certainly the most ethical ground forces in the world... I'm not saying we have to commit right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-have-the-most-skillful-firecest-and-certainly-the-most-ethical/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [The United States has been essentially engaged in an ongoing war that most people date from 2001. That war has taken us to Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/the-united-states-has-been-essentially-engaged-in-an-ongoing-war-that/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [In this age, I dont care how tactically or operationally brilliant you are, if you cannot create harmony even vicious harmony on the battlefield…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/in-this-age-i-dont-care-how-tactically-or-operationally-brilliant-you/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

[Explore all 72 James Mattis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

## More Force quotes

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. Women will bring this into politics. Home, sweet home, is as powerful on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/sentiment-is-the-mightiest-force-in-civilization-not-sentimentality/)

[Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/)

[Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/)

[William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

> [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/)

[Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/)

[Browse all 10,458 Force quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Mattis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-mean-the-lethality-of-us/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Force"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-mean-the-lethality-of-us/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/james-mattis-9515_force_i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-m_628403.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/james-mattis-9515_force_i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-m_628403.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3e/james-mattis-9515_force_i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-m_628403.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't see lethality as the problem. I mean, the lethality of US forces is quite remarkable.” — James Mattis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "James Mattis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't see lethality as the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-mean-the-lethality-of-us/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-don-t-see-lethality-as-the-problem-i-mean-the-lethality-of-us/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
