“Violent men believe only in such concepts as ‘weakness’ and ‘cowardice’. They are so deeply cynical , so… — Michael Moorcock

The soldier shook his head, waxing philosophical. “It’s a madness, sir. We’ve all got it. It could go on until the last human being crawls away from the body of the chap he’s just bashed to bits with a stone. That’s what war is, sir—madness. You don’t think about what you’re doing. You forget, don’t you—you just go on killing and killing.”

There is less danger, gentlemen, in living according to a set of high moral principles than most politicians believe.

“You have no proof of this,” I said.

“No. But a theory must be tested to be disproved, Mr Bastable.”