“These people couldn't thank us enough. They had lost their employers, their homes, their cars, and here they were trying to give us what little bit they still had. One man had nothing but watermelon cut up, and he kept trying to give us some.”
“That's why I'm going to go back next year, to have a little reunion. I saw these people when they were down, and I want to see them when they rebuild. If they were this good when they were down, I can't wait to see what they do when they're back on the upswing.”
“Saddam accumulated power over a period of 10-12 years. When you've evidenced considerable charm [and] an ability to get things done, even very idealistic and ambitious people begin to side with you.”
“Staring at all the green bundles, ... Joey felt suddenly overwhelmed by the challenge of hanging onto it. The idea of finding that much money was proving to be more thrilling than the actual experience, much as the highs he got by shooting speed had long ago stopped living up to his expectations. The hard truth about life, which most people learned but that Joey had not, was that things had to be earned to be fully enjoyed. Success, accomplishment, the admiration of the world -- these were all things that could not be faked, or purchased with a needle or a windfall.”
“The Pentagon was officially displeased, ... 'Killing Pablo' tells a much murkier tale (than 'Black Hawk Down'), what with death squads and Pablo's sordid end. This being the second peek behind the walls at Ft. Bragg, it was received with considerably less good humor.”
