Intelligence is just a tool to be used toward a goal, and goals are not always chosen intelligently.

A civilization has the ethics it can afford

I am trying to prevent a bloodbath. Is that clear enough for you? I'm trying to prevent a civil war that could kill half the people in this world.

I do not believe they've run out of surprises.

Boredom is my worst enemy. It's killed a lot of my friends, but it won't get me. When I get bored, I go risk my life somewhere.

There is no cause so good or noble that it will not attract fuggheads; and the fuggheads will get all the press.

In challenging a kzin, a simple scream of rage is sufficient. You scream and you leap.