Media Monitors Network (MMN)

"The Israeli government’s initiative for unilateral disengagement is already heading for derailment. Its failing points are built into the plan itself – unilateralism."

"...the motive for such revisionism might also be to create myths about the origins of certain groups that substantiate their claims to special entitlements, exceptional needs, and superior status above other human beings."

"...Bush will not retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan. Why? Because he is not occupying these countries. By ‘liberating' them, he has ‘fulfilled God’s mission under the “Manifest Destiny.”

"The UK has the second highest teenager pregnancy rate in the Western world. Over a million young Americans have already taken the Silver Ring Pledge. The British Humanist regards it the latest cranky Christian concept from America and has the full support of George W Bush with one million dollars as part of his campaign to replace sex education."

"The catastrophic success of the neo-cons in escalating America’s unprofitable conflicts in the Middle East to a war of civilizations should create serious questions in serious minds about the national origin of their neo-conservative ideology."

"...Hizballah has also acted independently of Syrian and Iranian interests, not always responding to Syrian demands. As peace negotiations between Syria and Israel opened in early 1996, Syrian wishes to calm down the Israeli-Lebanese border were initially heeded by Hizballah, and the Syrian government even started to speak openly about dismantling Hizballah. Not long after, however, Hizballah reinitiated incursions across the blue line."

"The image on Western televisions of Palestinians as terrorists and victims was seen differently in Arab homes. The growth of the Arab satellite landscape ensured that the day-to-day life of the Palestinians filled the screens. But Arab television coverage produced another stereotype of Palestinians."

"The conflict between Israel and Hizballah has thus changed from one of ongoing combat to one of intermittent outbursts (every few months); even then the eruptions are restricted in nature."

"Economics survival would be difficult in the days to come for both the countries especially in the sectors of energy, engineering and consumers markets. Dawn of WTO is knocking at our doors. Onslaught of China is unstoppable."

"It seems that killing only becomes barbaric when the acts are committed by anyone else but the coalition forces; otherwise it is a footnote regarded as a ‘scandal’, victims are forgotten as collateral damages. This sounds very much like the Nuclear Weapons argument with Iran that is, only the West and their obedient allies can posses such weapons, invade and kill ‘lawfully’."

"For many people it is difficult to give up the Zionist myths with which they grew up. They try to evade any discussion on this subject – and indeed, it is hardly ever mentioned in our media."

"Israel's persistent penetrations of Lebanese airspace with aircraft and reconnaissance drones are another source of confrontation."

"What we know is that neither Democracy nor economic growth are the Holy Spirit’s gifts. They cannot be parachuted either. To be successful, any social, political, economical reforms have to be conduced through deep structural changes not by high decrees."

"In a very interesting way Hizballah's relations with Damascus are becoming not very dissimilar from Israel's relations with the United States, with some very obvious differences."

"It is estimated that the recent al-Qaeda activities inside Saudi Arabia especially ruthless attacks and merciless killings of foreigners working in the oil business have increased the geopolitical risk of a barrel of oil by something from $8-$12."

"This year, both Democrats and Republicans, believing that swing voters will be especially important in November’s election, have avoided taking high-visibility stands on gun issues."

"The zoo is considered the foremost tourist attraction in Qalqilya. Before the Israeli military closure on the Palestinian territories was imposed, a closure especially draconian in Qalqilya where an eight-meter high wall now completely encircles this northern West Bank town, an average of 3,000 people would visit the zoo every year."

"The hypocrisy of the IAEA is evident: there is silence while the US continues to develop new forms of nuclear weapons. US-friendly states that refused to sign the NPT but have nuclear weapons (India, Israel and now Pakistan) are treated with kid gloves, but Iran, a signatory of the NPT, is being threatened with punishment and possible attack."

"With all her moves from Sex Goddess to Yoga diva to children's author to British den mother to an endorser of Wesley Clark didn't dim the willingness of the "Israeli street" to question her newfound Kabbalah addiction and for religious Jews to dismiss her use of Judaism as a cheap marketing ploy."

"Both Johnson and Bush will be remembered for floundering around in the hopeless quagmire of bloody wars. They will be remembered for the needless injury and death of millions of military and civilians, and for thrusting US citizens into environments where they were desensitized into doing shameful and vicious things they would never have dreamed they were capable of doing."