Innovation is the whim of an elite before it becomes a need of the public.

War can really cause no economic boom, at least not directly, since an increase in wealth never does result from destruction of goods.

Sovereignty must not be used for inflicting harm on anyone, whether citizen or foreigner.

Whoever wants peace among nations must seek to limit the state and its influence most strictly.

What we need is Star Peace and not Star Wars.

The Vietnam War and the Iraq war, in different ways, both made me feel like I could not not address them. I'm very doubtful about the usefulness of poetry to do that.

To speak specifically of our problem with the Muslim world, we are meandering into a genuine clash of civilizations, and we're deluding ourselves with euphemisms. We're talking about Islam being a religion of peace that's been hijacked by extremists. If ever there were a religion that's not a religion of peace, it is Islam.

I do not believe that civilization will be wiped out in a war fought with the atomic bomb. Perhaps two-thirds of the people of the earth will be killed.