So many writers have been to Oxford and Cambridge," he says, "and I'm always suspicious of that. It means they spent the years from 16 to 18 diligently studying when they should have been out failing their driving tests, or trying - and failing - to kiss people and generally being teenage disgraces."

"And in my tiny corner of the world, I've gotten into two fights in the last six months, and I previously hadn't been in a fight since 1980, when I was 10 years old."

"Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham. Tread lightly there. You will see things that no man could pay to see and you will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis.

You will be embarrassed by their hospitality even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as refugees for they are in their own country. Their children will be poor, in years to come they will know that the light of liberation in their lives was brought by you.

If there are casualties of war then remember that when they woke up and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day.

Allow them dignity in death. Bury them properly and mark their graves. .....

You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest for your deeds will follow you down through history. We will bring shame on neither our uniform or our nation."