Michael Westen quotes from Burn Notice

Michael

[voice-over] It doesn't matter if you're trying to take out a dump truck or a moped. Every vehicle has three points of vulnerability: the driver, the engine, and the tires. A can of paint across the windshield can blind the driver. A 50-millimeter cannon can take out the engine. But neither will guarantee that the truck won't swerve into oncoming traffic. But if you force a dump truck's front tires off the road, then you drastically reduce its maneuverability. Of course, getting a dump truck's tires off the road is much more difficult than it sounds, and a hell of a lot more dangerous.

Michael

[V.O.] Covert Operatives try to avoid assuming other peoples identities whenever possible. There's just too many pitfalls when you're dealing with someone your new identity has corresponded with. What have they said? What have they been told? What have the agreed to? Of course, it helps if the person you're deceiving is terrified of the person you're pretending to be.

Michael

[V.O.] Spend a career in covert ops and you're going to know some bad people. You'll work with them, you'll live with them, you might even trust your life with them. But none of that makes them your friend. It can't. Because one day, you might have to end them.

Michael

[V.O.] Surveillance is the leading cause of weight gain among operatives.

Michael

[V.O.] There's an art to drinking without getting drunk. Start with a lot of ice to dilute the alcohol; order a new round before you're done so your half-full drink gets taken away, and of course, spill.

Michael

[V.O.] Most people think snipers like to shoot from ledges. Fact is, the best sniper position is inside a room through an open window: it hides the shooter, masks the report of the supersonic round, and makes the muzzle flash impossible to see.

Michael

You know me, good little soldier.

Michael

The enemy of my enemy could be my friend.

Michael

[as "Johnny" while Fiona empties a bottle of vodka onto a bar] Miami...it's humid. Plus...your place is on fire. [Fiona lights the vodka]

Michael

(v.o.) Spend enough time in international hotspots, and you learn that a lot of the worst monsters on earth are just spoiled rich kids. Mass murderers come in many shapes and sizes, but they tend to drink the same brands of champagne.

Michael

(v.o.) Spend time with corrupt, homicidal, Third World political figures and you hear a lot of self-pity. What kind of man throws his political enemies in prison and tortures them to death? Usually it's a guy who feels so sorry for himself that he feels justified doing anything. Killers, by and large, are whining losers. But that doesn't make them any less dangerous.

Michael

Just because you can escape, doesn't mean you should.

Michael

[Voiceover] To tail someone, you need both skill and instinct. You need skill because the driving is tough; you can't get too close and you can't drift too far away. You can't go too fast or too slow. You need instinct because every turn, every lane change, every bridge raises the risk of being seen. Anyone can be trained to follow a car, but it takes good instincts to know when it's time to stop following.

Michael

[Voiceover] When you're being followed by the police, it's important to remember that having cops around is a problem for criminals, but it's an even bigger problem for a detective trying to remain inconspicuous on a stakeout.

Michael

[Voiceover] Finding a way into a criminal organization is about observing social dynamics. You start with a target. You're looking for just the right person to approach. People in the inner circle are usually too tough to go after. Anyone with real power is bound to be cautious. Drivers and bodyguards are easier, but they usually don't have real access. You want someone with enough juice to be hungry for more; someone desperate to make a move. In short, you're looking for a frustrated middle manager.