“One cannot fashion a credible deterrent out of an incredible action.”

“As a young man I was scornful about the supernatural but as I have got older, the sharp line that divided the credible from the incredible has tended to blur; I am aware that the whole world is slightly incredible”

“It is not the real punishment. The only effectual one, the only deterrent and softening one, lies in the recognition of sin by conscience.”

“Good leadership puts the interests of the community as a whole before those of any specific group. Credibility of leadership can only be established through action and not words.”

“Abuse of the military metaphor may be inevitable in a capitalist society, a society that increasingly restricts the scope and credibility of appeals to ethical principle, in which it is thought foolish not to subject one's actions to the calculus of self-interest and profitability. War-making is one of the few activities that people are not supposed to view 'realistically'; that is, with an eye to expense and practical outcome. In all-out war, expenditure is all-out, unprudent--war being defined as as an emergency in which no sacrifice is excessive.”

“All I really need,” he continued, “is for you to act as a deterrent.”“A deterrent?” she choked out.“A human shield, if you will.”“What?”“I cannot be left alone with that woman,” he said, and he felt no remorse at the low desperation in his voice. “Please, if you have any care for your fellow man.”Her lips clamped together in a suspicious line. “I’m not certain what I get out of the equation.”“You mean besides the joy of my delightful company?”“Yes,” she said, with an impressive lack of inflection, “besides that.”