The men would also have to be willing to kill, at close quarters, and not merely for the sake of killing. “I didn’t want psychopaths,” he insisted. Stirling, then, was seeking a set of qualities that are not often found together: fighters who were exceptionally brave but just short of irresponsible; disciplined but also independent-minded; uncomplaining, unconventional, and, when necessary, merciless. People who simply wanted a change of routine were dismissed out of hand:
