Bottom Lines

"Egypt is heading towards the worst catastrophe in its history." -- Sonallah Ibrahim, Novelist, Al-Arabi

"The slogans of liberalism have become an expression of Americanisation, Westernisation and relinquishing national constants." -- Fahmy Howeidy, Al-Ahram

"All the NDP wants from the opposition parties is to stamp their seal of approval on a vague and unidentified thing called 'Code of Honour'." -- Magdi Sarhan, Al-Wafd

"Under Saddam, disagreement would occur[among the clergy over the beginning of Ramadan], but the regime would make a decision and the entire nation would follow. All of us -- Sunnis, Shi'ites and Kurds -- began fasting on the same day and broke our fast at the same hour every day when the national TV broadcast the call for the maghreb (sunset) prayers. This is no longer the case." -- An Iraqi citizen, As-Safir

"If a poll was to be conducted all across the Arab world on the kind of ruler the Arabs wanted, the results might be shocking to some." -- Abdullah Al-Hamadi, Al-Ra'i Al-Am

"The Arab nation has reached a shocking state of weakness and disunity... We have diverted from the path of unity that God and His Prophet Mohamed ordered us to follow... Every Arab country has become too obsessed with its immediate interests and alliances... As a result Arab dignity is being violated when many an Arab ruler is only worried about his remaining in power." -- Adel Al-Muzaal, Al-Watan