Jason Robards: General R. Pendleton Lloyd

The Enemy Within

General R. Pendleton Lloyd

General R. Pendleton Lloyd: Ah, it's days like this that I wish I never accepted this lousy job. The only problem is... I can't bear the thought of anyone else having it.

General R. Pendleton Lloyd: The president may be a good man, but he doesn't know shit about national defense. At least when his wife was alive, he had a reality barometer. The way things were going election day, nobody bothered to ask him about it.

General R. Pendleton Lloyd: I used to know who my enemies were. Who'd have guessed five years ago that Iran and Iraq would be allies? The next fight in the middle east... It's going to make the gulf war look like a family picnic. When it comes, we won't be ready. Look at this. We're cops. We're builders. We're health-care providers. Worst of all... We're politicians.
Col. MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey: Sucks.
General R. Pendleton Lloyd: Ah. Hell, let's not mince words.

President William Foster: And may I remind you, General, that I, with the help of congress, will make policy. You will follow it. If you want my job, go out and get yourself elected!
General R. Pendleton Lloyd: I have no interest in becoming president. My sole concern is there be a country left to defend. Another war's coming, and when it does, we'll have to call on Israel to defend us because our own forces will have become impotent in the interests of social experiments and global public relations.
President William Foster: Keep your opinions to yourself, General, or confine them to this office.

Defence Secretary Charles Potter: It's unfortunate that this was necessary.
General R. Pendleton Lloyd: We're going to get our hands dirty no matter how antiseptically we do this.

General R. Pendleton Lloyd: This is symbolic. We could've met over a beer, like a couple of marines.
Col. MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey: Here is better, in front of the marines who died defending the things you're trying to destroy.
General R. Pendleton Lloyd: Leave the speeches to the politicians.
Col. MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey: If there'll be any left after you.

General R. Pendleton Lloyd: You'd go all the way with this? Career, family-- you'd lose it all.
Col. MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey: I'll lose it all anyway if you're in charge.

General R. Pendleton Lloyd: Do you know who Judas was, Colonel?
Col. MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey: Yes. I know who Judas was. He was a man I worked for and once respected... until he disgraced the four stars of his uniform.

General R. Pendleton Lloyd: We all want the same thing, a country secure from foreign aggression.
Col. MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey: We can have that as long as we have a country worth fighting for. Who'd fight for Jack Giddings or Potter? Count me out.
General R. Pendleton Lloyd: You would stand by and watch everything we fought and died for betrayed by a man who never wore a uniform?
Col. MacKenzie 'Mac' Casey: He is the elected president.