"Alongside the Saudi monarchy, Egypt has attempted to place huge restrictions on media freedom in the region. By formulating new repressive measures under a so-called “Charter” which journalists are expected to abide by, many media institutions have had their publications shut down. The most significant recent victim has been the Central News Center [CNC] whose operation as a service provider to al-Jazeera, BBC, France 2 and others has been unceremoniously shut down."

"Arab residents have to pay all municipal taxes, but receive in return only a fraction of the municipal services, both in quality and in quantity. The schools lack hundreds of classrooms, and their standard is inferior to the private Islamic schools. Trash removal and other services are beneath contempt. Public gardens, youth clubs, gardening - cannot even be mentioned. The inhabitants of Kafr Akab, located beyond the Kalandia checkpoint, pay municipal taxes and receive no services at all - the municipality says that its employees are afraid to go there."

"Bush and McCain keep repeating the simplistic deceit about the surge, and the media keeps reporting it. Occasionally, voices are raised challenging it, but they do not make the front pages or the lead story on the network news."

"If the major powers are serious, there are practical ways to mitigate and probably end nuclear crisis in the Middle East. The first is to disarm Israel of her nuclear weapons that would be a sufficient motivation for Iran (or any other neighboring nation) to never think about developing nuclear weapon as a deterrent. A second step would be for the USA, UK and Israel to join the rest of the world in accepting a verifiable Fissban treaty. A third step would be to have Israel sign the NPT, much like Iran, and have her sites monitored by the UN agency. A fourth step would be to empower IAEA so that it can do its monitoring task on nuclear activities everywhere more effectively without being unduly influenced by the nuclear club. Are they willing to take these measures?"

"The illusion of change is a cynical form of bamboozlement. The change offered by Obama is a face-lift, an external makeover. He knows how to push buttons to make people believe he represents what they want him to represent."

"A better alternative for Canada - and for Liberal leader Stephane Dion - would be to make good politics out of the proposed carbon and green surcharge taxes. But the time for Liberal action is getting shorter by the day and Dion has yet to revisit even the single carbon tax system."

"War is not the answer to any of these conflicts. The U.S. is not made more secure by creating new enemies and draining our treasury. The U.S. military budget is sapping the economic strength of the nation and making it impossible to face up to the urgent needs of a new energy economy, upgraded infrastructure, health care for all and other necessities of the American people."

"The terrorist watch list is downright unconstitutional. Under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, no warrants shall be issued unless there is probable cause that a crime has been committed. If the government has such probable cause that a passenger is conspiring to commit a terrorist act on an airplane, it should not hassle that person at the airport when trying to fly or ban him or her from flying; it should arrest them. But of course the government does not have the evidence to do that for the vast majority of the 400,000 people on the watch list."