"Since the protests began, I sought information to help me assess the ability of federal, state and local authorities to handle situations under their responsibility. I continually assessed and advised that it was not necessary to employ active duty troops in response to the civil unrest occurring in our nation. It was my view then, and it remains so now, that local, state and federal police backed up by the National Guard under governor control, could, and continually can, effectively handle the security situation in every case across the country."
Mark Alexander Milley is a retired United States Army general who served as the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2023. He had previously served as the 39th chief of staff of the Army from 2015 to 2019 and held multiple command and staff positions in eight divisions and special forces.
"[And in Ukraine, we are learning the lesson that] aggression left unanswered only emboldens the aggressor. Let us never forget the massacre that we have just witnessed in Bucha. Know the slaughter that occurred in Mariupol. And the best way to honor their sacrifice is to support their fight for freedom and to stand against tyranny."
"The nature of war is not going to change. Its still a political act. Its a decision by humans to impose their political will on their opponent by the use of violence."
"George Floyds death amplified the pain, the frustration and the fear that so many of our fellow Americans live with day in and day out. I have many policemen in my family, and I am personally outraged by George Floyds brutal and senseless killing. The protests that have ensued not only speak to this injustice, but also to centuries of injustice towards Black Americans. We, as a nation and as a military, are still struggling with racism, and we have much work to do."
"The 6th of January was one of the days of high risk. Neither I, nor anyone that I know of, to include the FBI or anybody else, envisioned the thousands of people who assaulted the capitol. To basically encircle the Capitol and assault it from multiple directions simultaneously, and to do what they did, that was something else. The 6th was pretty dramatic. Thats about as dramatic as youre going to see it, short of a civil war... What you might have seen was a precursor to something far worse down the road."
"We are proud of you. You have a difficult and dangerous road ahead, and no one should underestimate it. But you also have the opportunity to navigate those dangerous roads ahead and to lead our nations most precious resource: the young men and women who don the cloth of this nation, the American soldier."
"If you cant get in shape in 24 months, then maybe you should hit the road."