Media Monitors Network (MMN)

"If you happen to be undecided, you will quickly find out if your address makes your vote vital in electing the next CEO of the free world. Look for the telltale signs in the last few weeks of the campaign. If CNN doesn’t paint your state red or blue on the electoral map – you are the proud owner of a million-dollar vote. If both candidates offer to clean your house – you have been anointed to decide the fate of the nation."

"Mark Thatcher, son of Lady Margaret Thatcher, is in big trouble. He was charged in South Africa, with helping to finance a planned coup in oil rich Equatorial Guinea. He is under house arrest, on $300,000 bail. Equatorial Guinea is looking to extradite him on the same charges. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe may want to get their hands on him, too. Baroness Thatcher is naturally distraught. The Open Letter offers some advice and historical context."

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried, but failed miserably to intimidate the protesters at the massive rally against the GOP and the Iraq War, in NYC, today. The crowd was estimated at over 500,000. Bloomberg has tried repeatedly to manipulate a confrontation with the demonstrators and to scare them off. His tactics failed. He has been assisted in his efforts by NYC’s yellow-sheeted tabloids, the NY Daily News and the NY Post."

"If we are content with a choice of the CNN candidate or the Fox nominee – we might just as well stay home and have Rupert Murdoch appoint our next president."

"...the Berlin wall was smashed and the debris sold as souvenirs to foreign and local tourists. A really sharp operator would now be applying for a concession to sell off chunks when this wall’s time comes."

"Thirty-three years ago, speaking out against the war in Vietnam, John Kerry was an anti-war hero for some. Now he deserves to be no one’s hero. Like Bill Clinton, he has proven himself ready and willing to embrace war based on lies."

"It is no surprise that the agenda for Shaukat Aziz is far more elaborate than the “seven points” spelt out by Pervez Musharraf on Oct 17, 1999, what must be included is pride of priority is good governance."

"U.S. and Canada together added more new millionaires last year than Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East combined."

"Whatever reality Palestinians see reflected in Hassan, however, there is no disguising the pride many take in his success."

"Prior to the invasion, some American theorists and writers stood to argue and try to convince the whole world of the idea that Democracy was looming at the Iraqi horizon, so that this country was going to be a great model for all the Arab states."

"It is also important to point out here, that many of the more extreme aspects of what has been presented as Islam in the past, mimics the extremism of Jewish fundamentalism. This might be the result of the close contact that both religions have enjoyed as a result of the historic and peaceful cohabitation between Muslims and Jews in that region, prior to the British Mandate."

"Since the end of 2001, Afghans have been fed with a potion that mixes a variety of active and placebo ingredients but the wounded, ailing Nation of Afghanistan has not really recovered. The remedy that the United States has prescribed for Afghanistan, without being contradicted by its allies or the United Nations, was intended to bring peace, stability, democracy and economic recovery from a quarter of a century of war, but so far it has not really worked."

"People with great political influence have a great responsibility to lead the world to a future of peace and hope."

"...the US perception of democracy is only when there is a pro-US regime, which the rest of the Arab/Islamic world reads it as demo-mockery! No wonder the White House spokesman remarked about Hugo Chavez of Venezuela: “just because you win a majority of the votes doesn’t make your government legitimate”. Yes, democracy is not about the will of the ordinary masses but the imposition and acceptance of US style corporate-democracy that will function favourably to the US interests. "

"The gathering of protesters and dissidents in New York City this week are not only present to repudiate Bush policies. They are there to repudiate Kerry policies and to force the Kerry campaign to Democratic values, not warmongering values against the constituency."

"As it stands, many of the news agencies would rather pay freelance journalist who are willing to enter into the most dangerous places in the world than to hire reporters to enter under their corporate names."

"Clearly an approach to dispute resolution whether on Wullar Barrage, Siachin, or Sir Creek, which seeks to holding on what is in possession of either side, without reference to any legality or bilateral commitment, is no formula for dispute settlement. It will merely perpetuate the Indo-Pak hostility in the long run, while appearing to reduce it on the short run."

"One day, Al Qaeda will be a minor player in the War on Terror and it will likely shift into a war of sovereign states."

"The Index Numbers have been scientifically calculated from the latest available geophysical and geodetic data for 1980."

"The result has been that, in order to nonetheless appear to be espousing Islam, the Saudi regime and its puppet scholars have evolved a version of Islam that emphasizes ceremonial details of the religion, at the expense of helping to understand broader political realities. Their manner has encouraged a literal interpretation of Islamic law, permitting the likes of bin Laden to exploit the Koran to justify the killing of innocents."