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They were, mostly, just cops. And they brought cop attributes to their new headquarters: dyspepsia, too much smoking, cheap suits, fallen feet, a deep cynicism about everything but particularly human nature, and even more particularly notions of “honor,” “justice,” or “duty.” They did believe passionately in one cause, however: staying out of Russia.

— Stephen Hunter Basil's War (2021)

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Libraries are the font of civilization, do you not agree?

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If you want truth, look for it in the dirt. The dirt never lies.

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“I hope I’m smart enough to stay up with all these wrinkles, gentlemen. I already have a headache.”
“Welcome to the world of espionage,” said Sir Colin. “We all have headaches.”

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They love to cooperate with the Brits because the Brits give them so much equipment which can either be sold on the black market or used against their domestic enemies after the war. So, they will always jump lively for the SOE, because the loot is too good to turn down.

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Sometimes it’s damned hard to keep straight, but one thing all the people in this room agree on: the moment the rope snaps hard about Herr Hitler’s chicken neck, the next war begins, and it is between we of the West and they of the East.”

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Stephen Hunter (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.