Stephen Kinzer

“Turkey and Brazil, though half a world apart geographically, have much in common. Both are large countries that spent long years under military dominance, but have broken with that history and made decisive steps towards full democracy.”

“The United States has dealt with the Middle East and surrounding regions for many decades in the context of the Cold War.”

“There is very little hope that the United States or anyone else can do much to stabilize Iraq, Libya, Syria or Egypt. Stabilizing Iran, and bringing it back into the family of nations, is much more possible. That would be a 'win' for both sides.”

“For many years as a foreign correspondent, I not only worked alongside human rights advocates, but considered myself one of them. To defend the rights of those who have none was the reason I became a journalist in the first place. Now, I see the human rights movement as opposing human rights.”

“Rwanda has emerged from the devastation of genocide and become more secure and prosperous than anyone had a right to expect.”

“Prairie grassland once covered much of North America's midsection. European settlers turned nearly all of it into farms and ranches, and today the prairie landscape survives mainly in isolated reserves.”

“Congress, it turns out, is filled with Republicans and Democrats eager to act as enablers for the most repressive forces in Iran.”

“Chechens are not ethnically or culturally Russian, and have now been fighting for generations to free themselves from Russian rule.”

“As British and French imperialism ebbed following the end of the Second World War, America became the main outside player in Arab affairs.”

“No step the United States could take anywhere in the world would bring strategic benefits as great as detente with Iran.”

“Honduras is strongly anti-Communist, maintains no diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, and has provided vital support for United States-backed rebels fighting to overthrow the Sandinistas in neighboring Nicaragua.”

“At the end of the day, there is still one function of journalism that cannot be computerized, and that is reporters. You're always going to need reporters.”

“After installing friendly leaders in Iran and Guatemala, the United States lost interest in promoting democracy in either country.”

“Guerrilla leaders win wars by being paranoid and ruthless. Once they take power, they are expected to abandon those qualities and embrace opposite ones: tolerance, compromise and humility. Almost none manages to do so.”

“During the 1990s the United States sought to impose the 'Washington Consensus' on Latin American governments. It embodied what Latin Americans call 'neo-liberal' principles: budget cuts, privatization, deregulation of business, and incentives for foreign companies. This campaign sparked bitter resistance and ultimately collapsed.”

“The U.S. has intervened more often in more countries farther from its own shores than has any power in modern history.”

“Other places are also generators of far-flung violence beyond their own borders - Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are obvious examples - but none has as long a history of war, resistance, and terror as Chechnya.”

“Rebels in Darfur have learned the value of mobilizing western human rights groups to prolong wars, and this lesson is working gloriously for them.”

“From the 1920s into the 1940s, Britain's standard of living was supported by oil from Iran. British cars, trucks, and buses ran on cheap Iranian oil. Factories throughout Britain were fueled by oil from Iran. The Royal Navy, which projected British power all over the world, powered its ships with Iranian oil.”

“Was Castro sincere when, during his guerrilla war, he swore that he was not a Communist? If so, when did he change, and why? Looking back, does he believe he might have chosen a better course?”