Well, if they are trying to kill you, on the whole they're the people you have to kill, aren't they?

I think that black Africa is extremely terrifying. Black Africa can become a maelstrom of warring tribes without the outside world needing to feel the need to do anything about it.

I don't think that what's going on in Bosnia is political activity. It's partly political, but it's partly atavistic as well.

It's a necessary quality of a diplomat or a politician that he will compromise. Uncompromising politicians or diplomats get you into the most terrible trouble.

I don't look to find an educated person in the ranks of university graduates, necessarily. Some of the most educated people I know have never been near a university.

Soldiers, when committed to a task, can't compromise. It's unrelenting devotion to the standards of duty and courage, absolute loyalty to others, not letting the task go until it's been done.

The written history of the world is largely a history of warfare, because the states within which we live came into existence largely through conquest, civil strife, or struggles for independence.

The great Chinese classics have always said that it's better not to fight; that the clever man achieves his ends without violence; that a battle delayed is better than a battle fought.

The historian ought to be an educated person, writing for other educated people about something which they don't know about, but wish to know about in a way that they can understand.

There are certain wicked people in the world that you can't deal with except by force

The revival of Islam dates from the early years of the 20th century. It was brought about by their humiliation, by their sense of how low they'd fallen compared with the West.

Suffering often draws us closer to God. Instead of being a sign of God's punishment or distance, suffering can purify us, lead us into the heart of God, and transform our souls.

I may be alone, but I am never lonely. I am always with my best friend, and that is me.

You get as many chances as you want

The laborer is worthy of his hire.

I thought, my love is so good, why isn't it calling the same thing back.

Certainly I think the election of John Kennedy and all he stood for was one that really was an inspiration.

It seems important to find ways of reminding ourselves that most "familiarity" is meditated and delusive.

Ah yes! Conservatives. Some of the finest minds of the 12th Century.

In the endgame, an error can be decisive, and we are rarely presented with a second chance.

You don't make a film and then be like I am only going to play it in my house and no-one is going to see it - that is ridiculous.