Wisdom, continued

This week's selection of quotables from the best and brightest political minds of the Middle East:

"the Zionist regime is a very small entity on the map and doesn't really factor into our decisions."  Mahmoud Ahmadinajad speaking to reporters in New York over a breakfast of (presumably Halal) Lox and Bagels

"Iran and Lebanon enjoy very good ties … We support Lebanon's unity and its advancement," Mahmoud Ahmadinajad

"And why not, I would support this." Walid Jumblatt, in an interview with Michael Young, on the possibility of Syrian troops coming back to Lebanon

“We stress that protecting the state would be done through the protection of its institutions"  Hizbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah


"Just like many of the arrest warrants, they have only come into force after a long time," unnamed "Prominent" lawmaker in reference to an arrest warrant against Jamil Sayyed, as reported by Naharnet

"We are keen to protect Lebanon from this strife and we will not allow the aims of the July war to be passed through the international tribunal, which Israel is banking on to compensate for its 2006 defeat," Hizbollah's Sheikh Nabil Qaouq

"If the indictment was issued as an accusation against Hizbullah, that would mean that an international decision was taken to ignite Sunni-Shiite war in the country," MP Suleiman Franjieh

“Prime Minister [Saad Hariri]’s approval to hold direct negotiations [between the Palestinians and] Israel does not reflect Lebanon’s official position [on the issue].” MP Ali Fayyad

"[Any group in Lebanon that] abides by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s (STL) [pending] indictment will be dealt with on the basis that it is one of the tools of US-Israeli aggression." Hizbollah MP Moussawi

Michel Aoun was especially prolific with his words of wisdom this week:

"[Jamil Sayyed's] cause is the biggest case of this century."

“a Mideast without Christians would be a world controlled by evil...”  (NB. Is this guy now implying that his allies, Hizbollah, are evil?)

"spread the culture of openness and not intimidation." in a letter lecturing the Pope

"...let no one ask us to remain calm. We are very calm"

Finally, I really could not decide which of the following is the Most Delusional Statement of the Week:

“[Western states] want to terminate the Resistance that is confronting Israel to naturalize [Palestinian refugees in Lebanon]" Michel Aoun

"That some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime. The majority of the American people as well as other nations and politicians agree with this view."  Mahmoud Ahamadinajad on 9/11


"the Lebanese have learned from their past experience -- that they are one people that will not divide no matter what.....Lebanese national unity is the strength of the Lebanese society," Former PM Salim Hoss
(h/t A Purple Monkey for spotting Hoss)