Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain.

Never forget that no military leader has ever become great without audacity.

It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time of action is past.

Pursue one great decisive aim with force and determination.

It would be especially tragic if the people who most cherish ideals of peace, who are most anxious for political cooperation on a wider than national scale, made the mistake of underestimating the pace of economic change in our modern world.

We have to bring stability to Iraq, otherwise we will be faced with a future dilemma of sending our loved ones into harms way to stop a civil war or the rise of a new tyrant born from the instability that we created.

After its defeat in the Second World War, Japan, unlike Germany, failed to show true contrition or give a fulsome apology, though it showered its neighbours, including China, with generous economic assistance. Only in 1995 did it finally offer an apology, but this was of the most limited and formulaic kind.

When anyone arouses my anger, I will immediately pray for them and regain my peace of soul.