Quotes

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'The American empire in the world is reaching the end of its road. The Zionist regime is on a definite slope to collapse, and there is no way for it to get out of the cesspool created by itself and its supporters.' -- Iranian President Ahmadinejad at a UN General Assembly, 23 September

'This is a farewell kiss, dog... This is from the widows and orphans of Iraq.' -- Iraqi journalist Muntadhar Al-Zaidi upon throwing a pair of shoes on President George Bush in Baghdad, 14 December

'The hand that touches the resistance will be cut off.' -- Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah after the government launched a probe into the group's intelligence network, 8 May

'The Israeli understanding of security can never be achieved because the Israeli occupation of the Arab territories contradicts with peace and security... If security is not mutual, it will be just illusive and non existant.' -- Bashar Al-Assad at the opening session of the 20th Arab Summit

'The referee is the Sudanese people, they should decide if we are really criminals, or if we are leaders of the people who should govern them in the future.' -- Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, 10 October, on the Hague-based International Criminal Court's decision to indict him on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity for the war in Darfur

'The amendments are to empower the people to practise their legal right in selecting whoever determines their fate and to renew trust with full sovereignty.' -- Algerian President Abdel-Aziz Bouteflika justifying his decision to amend the constitution to enable him to run for a third term as president, 29 October