John Keegan

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“I think to be shot in a mountain valley somewhere or other is altogether less glorious than crashing an airliner into a skyscraper.”

“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.”