The revival of Islam dates from the early years of the 20th century. It was brought about by their humiliation, by their sense of how low they'd fallen compared with the West.

Even a pacifist should admire the military virtues.

Some people are more terrorist than others

I think Americans like the practical; they like the human. And I like both those things myself, and I try and put them into my books.

Men killing other men really is an extraordinary phenomenon. Why does it happen? And how long has it gone on? And have the motives changed?

The great men of power who seek to change the nations they belong to usually are pretty terrible people.

Well, if they are trying to kill you, on the whole they're the people you have to kill, aren't they?