Fail Safe (2000 TV Movie)

Norman Lloyd: Defense Secretary Swenson

Quotes 

• Prof. Groeteschele : Excuse me, sir. Every minute we wait works against us. The President has to send in a full strike. He *has* to. There's nothing else that he can do, sir. Now! Now is the time, before the Russians are on full alert.

  Defense Secretary Swenson : We don't go in for sneak attacks, Mr. Groteschele. That's what the Japanese did at Pearl Harbor.

  Prof. Groeteschele : The Japanese, sir, were right to do that. From their point of view, we were their mortal enemy. As long as we existed, we were a deadly threat to them. Do you not... does any one here not believe that communism is our mortal enemy? The enemy of capitalism? Sir, the only mistake the Japanese made... they failed to finish us off at the start. They paid for that mistake with Hiroshima. We're in the process of making the same mistake, gentlemen. You can't erase history, but you can learn from it.

  Brig. Gen. Warren Black : You've learned so well, Groteschele, there's no difference between you, and what you want to kill. Destroy Russia? For what? To preserve what?

  Prof. Groeteschele : Democracy, General! We have here a God-given opportunity.

  Brig. Gen. Warren Black : To kill?

  Prof. Groeteschele : Why are you in the military, if not to kill?