Martel still did not want to believe in it, but brute experience of it forced him to, whatever his preferences. - James Blish

Actually, there are never motives behind actions. All actions are fixed. What we call motives evidently are rationalizations by the helpless observing consciousness, which is intelligent enough to smell an event coming—and, since it cannot avert the event, instead cooks up reasons for wanting it to happen...or ascribes it to the malice of God or man.

I suppose you burned the library—barbarians always do.

One thing you learn fast in the munitions business is that it’s a very good idea to stay off battlefields.