Often, the pretexts for starting a war are not real shortages of land, food or fuel, but rather perceptions - like fear, honor and perceived self-interest.

The gradual decline of a society is often a self-induced process of trying to meet ever-expanding appetites, rather than a physical inability to produce past levels of food and fuel, or to maintain adequate defense.

War seems to come out of nowhere, like rust that suddenly pops up on iron after a storm.

Any time the Western way of war can be unleashed on an enemy stupid enough to enter its arena, victory is assured.

States are like people. They do not question the awful status quo until some dramatic event overturns the conventional and lax way of thinking.

In history, one gathers clues like a detective, tries to present an honest account of what most likely happened, and writes a narrative according to what we know and, where we aren't absolutely sure, what might be most likely to have happened, within the generally accepted rules of evidence and sources.