collateral-damage

Let us also acknowledge that the hearts which suffer the most from our wars are those of mothers. Their vital voices have been left out of the political equation for too long. An Iraqi or American mother cries the same as an Israeli or Afghan mother. The eyes of a mother who has suffered the loss of a child can destroy the soul of anyone who gazes upon them. More souls become casualties of war than physical bodies. War is a soul-shattering experience for the innocent.

As he once wrote of Kipling, his own enduring influence can be measured by a number of terms and phrases__oublethink, thought police, 'Some animals are more equal than others'__hat he embedded in our language and in our minds. In Orwell's own mind there was an inextricable connection between language and truth, a conviction that by using plain and unambiguous words one could forbid oneself the comfort of certain falsehoods and delusions. Every time you hear a piece of psychobabble or propaganda_'people's princess,' say, or 'collateral damage,' or 'peace initiative'__t is good to have a well-thumbed collection of his essays nearby. His main enemy in discourse was euphemism, just as his main enemy in practice was the abuse of power, and (more important) the slavish willingness of people to submit to it.

Be willing to give, but only when you aren't expecting anything in return.

I'll be your mess, you be mineThat was the deal that we had signed

Maxim 28: If the price of collateral damage is high enough, you might be able to get paid for bringing ammunition home with you.-The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

How many times do I have to say I__ sorry before you believe it? That I acknowledge I made a terrible mistake and have done everything I know how to fix it? How can you just freeze me out after that and walk away from everything we had?_ Hurt and resentment swelled inside him, mixing with the anger in a toxic, chaotic mess. __ou walked away first,_ he shot back. __hat was your choice._ Then I made mine. It was a low blow, even if it was true. But he refused to feel guilty about it, even under the circumstances. He hadn__ wanted to have this conversation, but she__ insisted, and he wouldn__ lie to her about the way things stood. Honor__ chin came up, her tears evaporating as her eyes sparked with fresh anger. __ did,_ she admitted quietly, her control merely emphasizing the loss of his own. __ did walk away and it was the absolute worst mistake of my life. I__ sorry, Liam. See? I__ a big enough person to admit it to your face. Are you?