Reporters called down every other profession – medicine, law, politics – for failing to meet a level of professional responsibility which they would allow no one to enforce on themselves, and which they themselves would too rarely enforce on their own. Do as I say, not as I do was something you couldn’t say to a six-year-old, but it had become a ready cant for grown-ups. And if it got any worse, then what?
Not every story started off big enough to notice.
That’s all it might take. It wasn’t death he feared – none of them feared that – but rather failure. But were not the Holy Warriors of Allah those who did the hardest things, and would not his blessings be in proportion to his merit? To be remembered. To be respected by his compatriots. To strike a blow for the cause – even if he managed to do that without recognition, he would go to Allah with peace in his heart.
If you’re really good, they’d taught him at Quantico, you don’t have to be arrogant.
He was carrying nothing illegal, except for that which was in his head.
He was a person whose universe was very small indeed. It held only one person, himself, surrounded by things whose sole function was to be manipulated for his amusement or profit.
Jack missed the normality of merely reading the paper.
I inherited curiosity from my Dad.
I remember when Deng said, ‘It doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.’ To which Mao responded with a livid snarl: ‘What emperor said that?
He had to do so many things and make each appear as though it were the only thing he had to do. He had to compartmentalize everything, when on one task to pretend that the others didn’t exist.
The Kealty administration had promised more “openness” and “transparency” in the clandestine CIA. Jack Junior’s father had written an op-ed in The Washington Post that suggested, in a manner that was still respectful to the office of the presidency, that Ed Kealty might want to look up the word clandestine in the dictionary.
After three weeks in this environment, Sally was probably doing the cutest curtsies in the history of Western Civilization. By this time the Palace staff was probably fighting for the right to look after her. Sally was a true daddy’s girl. The ability to manipulate the people around her came easily. She’d practiced on her father for years.
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
The social contract in Russia is very simple. The population is willing to give up liberty and turn a blind eye to government corruption in exchange for security and prosperity. This worked as long as there was security and prosperity, but it is failing now.
Robert, that’s a little too far off the wall, I think,” Greer analyzed.
What am I supposed to do about you?
Mr. Ambassador, any person in the United States, regardless of his nationality or the manner of his arrival, is entitled to the full protection of our law. Our courts have ruled on this many times, and under our law no man or woman may be compelled to do something against his will without due process.
It was the oddest of political prejudices that wealth didn’t come from work, but rather from something else, a something never really described, but always implied to be suspect.
You can always find an expert to confirm your belief, no matter how ridiculous.
Ideas are important. Principles are important. Words are important. Your word is the most important of all. Your word is who you are.