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There are a lot of self-imposed restrictions by people who somehow believe they have to fall in with a certain military cant. There was always a sense that we had to put things into words that would touch our troops' hearts, not just their heads.

It is absolutely bedrock to the British Army's philosophy that a commanding officer is responsible for what goes on within his command.

Any commander who fails to exceed his authority is not of much use to his subordinates.

I've been a soldier too long to refuse to entertain any request from a potential commander in chief.

A lot of what a military officer does is not just leading troops in combat. It's also doing budgets. It's solving complex problems. If you can sit down with warlords, you can certainly sit down with different parties and folks with different interests and come out with an amenable solution.

Joining the military is not to be taken lightly. You're putting every part of yourself at risk, not just your body but your moral and spiritual centre.

I am a general. My soldiers are the keys and I have to command them.

It is the duty of every good officer to obey any orders given him by his commander in chief.

There's nothing like being a soldier for confidence or learning your limits or enduring utter humiliation.

With our Reserve and Guard units playing increasingly important roles in the war on terror and in Iraq, it is unacceptable to make them jump through any unnecessary hurdles.