After being subpoenaed to Washington, you made three calls.

I've highlighted those calls in yellow.

Do you recognize those numbers, sir?

I called Colonel Fitzhughes in Quantico, Virginia.

I wanted to let him know that I would be in town.

The second call was to arrange a meeting with Congressman Richmond of the House Armed Services Committee.

And the third call was to my sister, Elizabeth.

Why did you make that call, sir?

I thought she might like to have dinner tonight.

Your Honor, I'm gonna put a stop to this.

Your Honor, these are telephone records from Gitmo for September 6th.

And these are 14 letters that Santiago wrote in nine months, requesting, in fact, begging for a transfer.

Upon hearing the news that he was finally getting his transfer,

Santiago was so excited that do you know how many people he called?

Zero. Nobody.

Not one call to his parents saying he was coming home.

Not one call to a friend saying, can you pick me up at the airport?

He was asleep in his bed at midnight.

And according to you, he was getting on a plane in six hours.

Yet everything he owned was hanging neatly in his closet and folded neatly in his footlocker.

You were leaving for one day. You packed a bag and made three phone calls.

Santiago was leaving for the rest of his life.

And he hadn't called a soul.

And he hadn't packed a thing.

Can you explain that?

The fact is, there was no transfer order. Santiago wasn't going anywhere.

Isn't that right, Colonel? Objection, Your Honor.

It's obvious that Lieutenant Caffey's intention this afternoon is to smear a high-ranking Marine officer in the desperate hope that the mere appearance of impropriety will win him points with the court members.

Now, it's my recommendation, sir, that Lieutenant Caffey be reprimanded for his conduct and the witness be excused with the court's deepest apologies.

Overruled. Your Honor.

Your objection is noted.

Pardon?

Is this funny, sir?

No, it's not. It's tragic.

Do you have an answer? Absolutely.

My answer is, I don't have the first damn clue.

Maybe he was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning.

And maybe he didn't have any friends.

I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago.

What I do know is that he was set to leave the base at 0600.

Now, are these really the questions that I was called here to answer?

Phone calls and footlockers?

Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant.

These two Marines are on trial for their lives.

Please tell me that their lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a phone bill.

Do you have any other questions for me, Counselor?

Lieutenant Caffey?

Lieutenant, do you have anything further for this witness?

Thanks, Danny. I love Washington.

Excuse me. I need to dismiss you.

I beg your pardon?

I'm not through with my examination.

Sit down.

Colonel.

What's that?

I'd appreciate it if he would dress me as Colonel or Sir.

I believe I've earned it.

Defense Counsel will address the witness as Colonel or Sir.

I don't know what the hell kind of unit you're running here.

And the witness will address this court as Judge or Your Honor.

I'm quite certain I've earned it.

Take your seat, Colonel.

What do you want to discuss now?

My favorite color?

Colonel, the 6 a.m. flight was the first one off the base?

Yes.

There wasn't a flight that left seven hours earlier and landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 2 a.m.?

Lieutenant, I think we've covered this, haven't we?

Your Honor, these are the Tower Chief's files.

I'm sure you've seen them.

I'm sure you've seen them.

Your Honor, these are the Tower Chief's logs for both Guantanamo Bay and Andrews Air Force Base.

Guantanamo log lists no flight that left at 11 p.m.

and the Andrews log lists no flight that landed at 2 a.m.

I'd like to admit them as defense exhibits, Alfin Bravo.

I don't understand.

You're admitting evidence of a flight that never existed.

We believe it did, Sir.

Defense will be calling Airmen Cecil O'Malley and Anthony Rodriguez.

They were working the ground crew at Andrews at 2 a.m. on the 7th.

Your Honor, these men weren't on the list.

Rebuttal witnesses, Your Honor, are called specifically to refute testimony offered under direct examination.

I'll allow the witnesses.

This is ridiculous.

Colonel, a moment ago...

Check the Tower logs, for Christ's sake.

We'll get to the Airmen in just a minute, Sir.

A moment ago, you said that you ordered Lieutenant Kendrick to tell his men that Santiago wasn't to be touched.

That's right.

And Lieutenant Kendrick was clear on what you wanted?

Crystal.

Any chance Lieutenant Kendrick ignored the order?

Ignored the order?

Any chance he forgot about it?

No.

Any chance Lieutenant Kendrick left your office and said, the old man is wrong?

No.

Well, Lieutenant Kendrick spoke to the platoon and ordered them not to touch Santiago.

Any chance they ignored him?

You ever served in an infantry unit, son?

No, Sir.

Ever served in a forward area?

No, Sir.

Ever put your life in another man's hands?

Asked him to put his life in yours?

No, Sir.

We follow orders, son.

We follow orders or people die.

It's that simple.

Are we clear?

Yes, Sir.

Are we clear?

Crystal.

Colonel, I have just one more question before I call Airman O'Malley and Airman Rodriguez.

If you gave an order that Santiago wasn't to be touched, and your orders are always followed, then why would Santiago be in danger?

Why would it be necessary to transfer him off the base?

Santiago was a substandard Marine.

He was being transferred...

That's not what you said.

You said he was being transferred because he was in grave danger.

That's correct.

You said he was in danger. I said grave danger.

I recall what I said.

I can have the court reporter read back to you.

I know what I said.

I don't have to have it read back to me like I'm...

Why the two orders?

Colonel?

Sometimes men take matters into their own hands.

No, Sir. You made it clear just a moment ago that men never take matters into their own hands.

Your men follow orders or people die.

So Santiago shouldn't have been in any danger at all, should he have, Colonel?

You snotty little bastard.

Your Honor, I'd like to ask for a recess.

I'd like an answer to the question, Judge.

The court will wait for an answer.

If Lieutenant Kendrick gave an order that Santiago wasn't to be touched, then why did he have to be transferred?

Colonel, Lieutenant Kendrick ordered the code read, didn't he?

Because that's what you told Lieutenant Kendrick to do.

And when it went bad, you cut these guys loose.

Your Honor, you had mortgages inside a phony transporter.

Your Honor, you doctored the logbook.

You coerced the doctor.

Colonel Jessup, did you order the code read?

You don't have to answer that question.

I'll answer the question.

You want answers? I think I'm entitled to them.

You want answers! I want the truth!

You can't handle the truth!

Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns.

Who's gonna do it? You?

You, Lieutenant Weinberg?

I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom.

You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines.

You have that luxury.

You have the luxury of not knowing what I know, that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives, and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives!

You don't want the truth to be keeped down in places you don't talk about at parties.

You want me on that wall.

You need me on that wall.

We use words like honor, code, loyalty.

We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something.

You use them as a punchline.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and questions the manner in which I provide it.

I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way.

Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post.

Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!

Did you order the code red?

I did the job! Did you order the code red?

You're goddamn right I did!

You're goddamn right I did!