Middle East

"Journalists and researchers are under unprecedented pressure. Academics at British universities have all but surrendered to the shifting and arbitrary interpretations by the authorities of the meaning and causes of terrorism, to save their careers and to ensure funding for their projects. The picture is bleak. It shows that when governments are able to seize too much power, they abuse it to the detriment of citizens."

"Obama is not perfect. The problems Bush is only too happy to dump on him are almost insurmountable and getting worse by the day. Obama will make mistakes, but he has promised that, with our help, the hopes of all Americans can be realized. Together -- we can change the direction of the country."

"Peace in the Middle East is unlikely within the next eight years unless Obama himself leads the way. Just a few months ago, Obama’s rhetorical magic brought a hundred thousand Germans together in Berlin; on November 4, a quarter of a million Americans applauded his victory speech in Chicago; and in between, scores of massive U.S. crowds awaited his words in cities across the country. One day, maybe -- just maybe -- this same magic will inspire a great gathering of Israelis to save themselves from endless anxiety by cooperating with Arabs in a just and lasting peace. If Obama chooses this path, one can only hope that Rahm Emanuel would turn out to be a big help."

"...individualism threatens the social fabric of British society through the erosion of family values and violation of civil rights. Left unquestioned and unchecked, individualism will result in the fragmentation of both Muslim and non-Muslim communities."

"I can still remember when former Vice-president Dan Quayle came out with the goofy idea that people in Latin America speak Latin. What a hoot! But did the media make a big fuss then? Not on your Nellie! I guess it’s okay for guys to say and do dumb things, but when an honest American hockey mom has a slip of the tongue, it’s open season on us gals. Now really John, is that fair?"

"As the world awaits the final exit of Bush, it must be reminded that the Annapolis Conference convened exactly a year ago, is also doomed to fail. Ostensibly designed to bring many countries under the American umbrella to support the “peace process” – a euphemism for retaining Israeli settler status – Annapolis was no less than deception."

"...as far as we can tell, most of his national-security appointments seem to come from the middle to the middle-right; there is not one true progressive who can balance out the arguments that will be made inside the Cabinet. Not a good sign."

"The ideology of no ideology is nifty. No matter how tilted in favor of powerful interests, it can be a deft way to keep touting policy agendas as common-sense pragmatism -- virtuous enough to draw opposition only from ideologues."