“Power is the great aphrodisiac.”

“Even a paranoid can have enemies.”

“Universal rule, to last, needs to translate force into obligation.”

“Multiple contests take place simultaneously in different regions of the board.”

“There are no isolated events.”

“Every civilization that has ever existed has ultimately collapsed.”

“The real distinction is between those who adapt their purposes to reality and those who seek to mold reality in the light of their purposes.”

“Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.”

“It is barely conceivable that there are people who like war.”

“I’ve always acted alone. Americans like that immensely.”

“The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.”

“If you believe that their real intention is to kill you, it isn’t unreasonable to believe that they would lie to you.”

“Clausewitz’s famous dictum that war is a continuation of diplomacy by other means defines both the challenge and the limits of diplomacy.”

“Given the pace of technology, patience can easily turn into evasion.”

“Victory over the insurgency is the only meaningful exit strategy.”