James Madison Quotes

Among the many interesting objects which will engage your attention that of providing for the common defense will merit particular regard. To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

Let no one expect us to disarm unilaterally. We are not a naive people.

The Commonwealth of Venice in their armoury have this inscription, "Happy is that city which in time of peace thinks of war.

It is necessarily requisite to the peoples defense, that they be fore-armed. Now to be fore-armed is to be furnished with Soldiers, Armies, Ships, Forts and Monies, before the danger be instant; for the listing of Soldiers, and taking up of Arms after a blow is given, is too late at least, if not impossible.

We will be substantially upgrading all of our military - all of our military. Offensive, defensive, everything. Bigger and better and stronger than ever before. And hopefully, we'll never have to use it. But nobody is going to mess with us, folks. Nobody.

How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely prohibited, unless we could prohibit, in like manner, the preparations and establishments of every hostile nation?

Our arms must be mighty ... ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction

None but an armed nation can dispense with a standing army. To keep ours armed and disciplined is therefore at all times important.

To secure peace is to prepare for war.

The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the state governments, in times of peace and security.

Military preparedness is absolutely a form of strength.

We must maintain strong defenses, military and spiritual.

There's no excuse for skimping on national defense when the country is at war.

If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for War.

Against … attack the existing peacetime forces of the Army and Navy in the Hawaiian islands, including their necessary munitions and supplies, are believed to be adequate. The success of our defense against this form of attack will depend almost wholly upon our not being totally surprised by the enemy, and will require an efficient intelligence service, not only in the Hawaiian Islands but elsewhere.

The firmest security of peace is the preparation during peace of the defenses of war.

The military strength and resources of the State must be reserved for its own defense and protection exclusively …

I'm very, very pro-defense.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, my first priority is to ensure the readiness of our military.

We have an obligation to ensure our service members are protected, our national defense is resilient, and our forces are well-equipped.

If we don't get the military right nothing else matters.

I told you about the jet fighters. Well it's like that with so many other things. So we are going to take care of our military.

[Donald] Trump is speaking in Philadelphia on military matters. He's doing quite well. I want to join a little bit of this in progress just to give you a flavor for how Trump is sounding.

Not only the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines, everything is going away at a time when certainly we are at a top priority for making sure that doesn't happen. We're not respected to the extent we were and if we keep going like this, we won't be respected at all.

Now that you're Secretary of War, what kind of an army do you think we ought to have?