Middle East

"Almost all the Olympic committees are headed by senior political officials. While this might be helpful in order to get political clout for the needs of future Olympians, the danger this poses is that partisanship might easily slip in and influence decisions that should be made strictly on professional basis."

"In its agreements with both Palestine and Syria, Israel will give up territories it annexed unilaterally. If a referendum law is passed in Israel before these agreements are signed, it will be necessary to present them for popular approval. If there is no such legislation, an absolute Knesset majority will be required for ratification."

"The inconvenient truth is that much of the violence in Afghanistan has its origins in Pakistan, which has become a sanctuary for both al Qaeda and the remnants of the Taliban. More troops in Afghanistan will not solve the problem."

"Setting Islamophobic propaganda aside, societies and governments must work together to solve the negatives issues all women face in today’s world."

"This crisis should be a wake-up call that admitting Georgia, Ukraine, or other non-strategic nations in the Russian sphere of influence into NATO could needlessly make Russia even more hostile and start a new, dangerous, and unnecessary Cold War."

"If elected, you will either preside over the economic collapse of the United States or lead our nation up the path to its salvation. Make a choice – now – before it’s too late!"

"In assessing both candidates, one observer noted that McCain's position could be seen as being "in line with the moral clarity and American exceptionalism projected by President George W. Bush's first term" - i.e., hard-line neo-conservative and confrontational. Obama, on the other hand, has taken a position, on this crisis, more in line with the current occupant of the White House (the "kinder, gentler" George W. Bush) with his newfound appreciation for diplomacy."

"...the U.S. no longer has its former industrial base. The people and their government are heavily in debt. The dollar is weak and stands the prospect of losing its status as the world's reserve currency."