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Wise in the West, the owl in the East is believed to be a bad omen, representing sectarian strife spreading in Lebanon. In the Kuwaiti daily Al-Anbaa by Abdul-Salam Maabul

"Why didn't any of the opposition groups who give us headaches night and day about the political rights of citizens rise up and call for the rights of the poor? -- Ahmed Ayoub, Nahdit Masr

"The cruelty of poverty can drive us to insanity in moments of humiliating need." -- Adli Barsoum, Al-Gomhuriya

"Where is freedom of expression for a teacher who lost his job for voicing his beliefs?" -- Mustafa Bakri, Al-Osbou

"Divisions in Lebanon carry no suggestion of impending solutions or clear-cut endings." -- Diana Mukkaled, Asharq Al-Awsat

"Lebanon may be heading for another round of self-inflicted harm exactly when everyone expected it to enter a long period of peace and reconstruction." -- Amir Taheri, Asharq Al-Awsat

"What is important is that [Bush] understands the need to... immediately take the necessary measures in Palestine and Lebanon since Iraq is a longer story." -- Raghida Dergham, Al-Hayat