“The base is being put on Condition Red. I want this flashed to all...” – Ripper, Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb ... Movie Quotes Database

Ripper

The base is being put on Condition Red. I want this flashed to all sections immediately.

Mandrake

Condition Red, sir, yes, jolly good idea. That keeps the men on their toes.

Ripper

Group Captain, I'm afraid this is not an exercise.

Mandrake

Not an exercise, sir?

Ripper

It looks like we're in a shooting war.

Mandrake

Oh hell. Are the Russians involved, sir?

Ripper

It just came in on the Red Phone. My orders are for this base to be sealed tight, and that's what I mean to do, seal it tight. Now, I want you to transmit plan R, R for Robert, to the wing. Plan R for Robert...It looks like it's pretty hairy...Now last, and possibly most important - I want all privately-owned radios to be immediately impounded...They might be used to issue instructions to saboteurs.

In this scene

General Jack D. Ripper Sterling Hayden More Ripper quotes →

Lionel Mandrake Peter Sellers More Lionel Mandrake quotes →

More from Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Muffley General Turgidson, it is the avowed policy of our nation never to strike first with nuclear weapons. Turgidson Well, sir, I would say that General Ripper has already invalidated that policy! Muffley That was not an act of national policy and there are still alternatives left open to us. Dr. Strangelove The whole point of the doomsday machine is lost...if you keep it a secret! Why didn't you tell the world, eh?! Russian Ambassador It was to be announced at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know, the Premier loves surprises. Major T. J. "King" Kong Ain't nobody ever got the Go code yet. And old Ripper wouldn't be giving us plan R unless them Russkies had already clobbered Washington and a lot of other towns with a sneak attack.