The Pentagon Wars (1998 TV Movie)

Cary Elwes: Colonel James Burton

Photos 

Quotes 

• Col. Robert Laurel Smith : In summation, what you have before you is...

  Sgt. Fanning : A troop transport that can't carry troops, a reconnaissance vehicle that's too conspicuous to do reconnaissance...

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : And a quasi-tank that has less armor than a snow-blower, but carries enough ammo to take out half of D.C... . *This* is what we're building?

• Brig. General Robert Laurel Smith : Are you out of your mind, Colonel? If the Pentagon had their choice of busting us or nailing a Soviet spy, they would choose us in a heartbeat!

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Who exactly is "us," General?

  Brig. General Robert Laurel Smith : There are some people who work in the Pentagon who are fed up watching billions of dollars thrown away on defective weapons upon which our troops are supposed to stake their lives. People like you, Colonel. We are the enemy!

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : To whom?

  Brig. General Robert Laurel Smith : To majors who want to be colonels, to colonels who want to be generals, to generals who want that fourth star, you bet we are the enemy! Nobody moves up without getting things done! So what you don't want to be is the one who drops the ball, 'cause if you're the one who drops the ball: no promotion! no star! no cushy job with a contract when you retire!

• [Dalton opens a shell casing that was in the Bradley during testing] 

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Sand.

  Sgt. Benjamn Dalton : That's correct, sir.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Tell me, Sergeant. Has anyone around here ever mentioned the term "court martial" recently?

  Sgt. Benjamn Dalton : No, sir.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Really? That's truly amazing, Sergeant. Because here we are, watching water leak out of the gas tanks, and sand spill out of the ammunition, right before test to find out whether the damn thing is safe! And no one mentioned the word "court martial"? Why is that, Sergeant?

  Sgt. Benjamn Dalton : We were under orders, sir.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : And do you believe that following those orders is conscionable, Sergeant?

  Sgt. Benjamn Dalton : It doesn't matter what I think or do, sir. One way or another, one of you weekend warriors from Washington will always make sure the tests come out the way you want them to.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : I'm not here to manipulate test results, Sergeant. I'm here to learn the truth.

  Sgt. Benjamn Dalton : The truth? We get a new white knight here every six months, sir, and they all start out like you - big speeches that turn to shit until your next promotion comes due, and then it's business as usual.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Really? And where did you develop this lousy attitude, Sergeant?

  Sgt. Benjamn Dalton : Right here, sir. Watching guys like you.

• Lt. Colonel James Burton : You know what's really ironic? General Omar Bradley was a brilliant tactician, and a great leader. No ego, just did the job. And he always looked out for the morale and safety of his men. And then they go and put his name on *this* thing. Talk about a kick in the ass.

• [Burton just destroryed a door in a test] 

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : I'll buy the army a new goddamn door.

  Col. J.D. Bock : You can't afford a door like that; do you see what it stood up to?

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Exactly! Some SPITBALL from Romania!

• Sgt. Fanning : [as Burton begins typing]  What are you doing now, sir?

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : [smiling]  Paper cuts, Fanning. Vicious paper cuts.

• [Burton enters Partridge's office and salutes smartly. Without looking up, Partridge waits a few moments, then returns it] 

  Major General Partridge : Colonel Burton, I want you to write your report on the Bradley.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Sir, I was told that my job had been...

  Major General Partridge : Your job has been reinstated. I'd like your report on my desk by 0800 tomorrow morning.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Yes, sir.

  Major General Partridge : And Colonel, in case you are unaware, as per the military manual you will deliver your report to me and to me alone. Should so much as a single copy of your report be made public, I will bring you up on charges of willful subversion of military procedure, and have you court-martialed.

  [Burton salutes smartly again. After a few moments, Partridge returns it, and Burton walks out] 

• Lt. Colonel James Burton : This is not just a report, it's a deadly weapon.

  Sgt. Fanning : Sir, an M-16 is a deadly weapon. A report is just a pile of paper, unless you're planning to inflict a lot of extremely vicious paper cuts.

• Col. J.D. Bock : You wrecked a door?

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Colonel, the ammunition that was used in the last test on Bradley is the same as we used on this door - Romania, arguably the most inefficient ammunition on the world. No wonder the Bradley came through with flying colors.

  Col. J.D. Bock : Well, this is very serious.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : It is.

  Col. J.D. Bock : Yes, you've detroyed a door.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Colonel, we're talking about a test on an armored personnel carrier, a vehicle that will carry soldiers into armed combat.

  Col. J.D. Bock : Right, but this door is property of the United States government. I assume you knew that.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : The shell barely penetrated the door.

  Col. J.D. Bock : Okay, but now it's all bent out of shape. How are you going to get it back on its hinges?

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : Right now I'm really not worried about putting it back on its hinges.

  Col. J.D. Bock : Yes, but this door protects our ammunition.

  Lt. Colonel James Burton : The ammunition doesn't work.

  Col. J.D. Bock : But we need the ammunition for our tests.