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The only thing that makes battle psychologically tolerable is the brotherhood among soldiers. You need each other to get by.

I don't like a tremendous amount of conflict. I don't think that fighting and passion are the same thing.

It sounds strange to say it, but you can be in a war zone and have a lot of fun. Even though war is essentially pain on all sides, human beings have the capacity to enjoy themselves. The soldiers are mostly young people, full of enthusiasm and energy, and that's an exciting thing for an old guy like me.

Man is a competitive creature, and the seeds of conflict are built deep into our genes. We fought each other on the savannah and only survived against great odds by organising ourselves into groups which would have had a common purpose, giving morale and fortitude.

Battle is an orgy of disorder.

Let's get one thing straight: I am not an adrenaline junkie. Just because you cover conflict doesn't mean you thrive on adrenaline. It means you have a purpose, and you feel it is very important for people back home to see what is happening on the front line, especially if we are sending American soldiers there.

Having passion does not mean you have to descend into bickering and fighting.

War grows out of the desire of the individual to gain advantage at the expense of his fellow man.

All men have an instinct for conflict: at least, all healthy men.