"Be the hunter, not the hunted:
never allow your unit to be caught with its guard down.
Use good judgment and act in best interests of our Nation.
You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force.
Engage your brain before you engage your weapon.
Share your courage with each other
as we enter the uncertain terrain north of the Line of Departure.
Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead.
Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit.
For the mission's sake, our country's sake, and the sake
of the men who carried the Division's colors in the past battles-
who fought for life and never lost their nerve-
carry out your mission and keep your honor clean.
Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a U.S. Marine."
Marine General James MattisMattis' words in a message to the 1st Marine Division in March 2003,
on the eve of the Iraq War, as quoted in "Eve of Battle Speech" in The Weekly Standard (1 March 2003);
also quoted in War Stories: Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003) by Oliver North, p. 53Source: Wikiquote
