“Islamic State is following a clear strategy. First, it wants to solidify its power in Iraq and Syria. Then, their fighters will try to advance to Syria’s Mediterranean coast.”

Democracy in Iraq will be an example that the Arab population will look to with great interest. And some Arab governments are concerned about democracy in Iraq.

American companies will have a big shot at Iraqi oil.

Do not seek to find a reason why elections are not possible. Seek to make them possible, and they will be possible.

Winning back their trust is the primary task of the new government. That will be difficult, but it is possible.

The Iraqi people are living a long-running tragedy because of the legacy of the old regime, the Americans and their actions that are unsuitable for Iraqi society, and the weakness of national resolve.

The battle against terrorism is not only a military fight but primarily a battle of information.

All Iraqis can unite to defeat terrorism and can unite to rebuild the country.

You know the most important thing the Americans did for Iraq apart from liberating the country from Saddam was helping Iraq reduce its debt.

To handle the economy and services in a country like Iraq requires delegation of authority and the choice of competent people.

Sectarian politics gets votes in Iraq. But sectarian government fails in Iraq.

The Kurds know that they won’t achieve their own state by force of arms but through international recognition. And they have certainly heard what the German foreign minister said in connection with the arms deliveries.

What was said before is not important.

We are not panicking because we know that Islamic State cannot conquer the capital.

We must work very hard to avoid civilian casualties. And those terrorists and Baathists are holding the people of Fallujah hostage. We must release the hostages.

If they are successful, that will be seen as their next great triumph. And then, their target will be Jordan, where things will be easy for them.

Are Iraqis ready to carry the responsibility for their country? Is Iraq ready to be its own master?

For the most part our leaders are merely following out in front; they [only] marshal us in the way that we are going.

Deep down, everything boils down (“au fond tout se ramène”, Fr.) to the following simple question; Do we really want justice and the realization in this world of higher principles, or else do we want to serve selfish.

Mom used to frame everything we made, and now I’m following her example. It makes children so proud to see their work on display instead of hidden away.

I have held the following jobs: office temp, ticket seller in movie theatre, cook in restaurant, nanny, and phone installer at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Only I can’t do them so I ended up on my ass followed by the most unsightly backward roll out of it, followed by the cast falling over in laughter and a good portion of the audience too.

They’re all a huge influence on me. For me, just following rock history and watching Darkness On the Edge of Town and realizing that’s it’s okay to be obsessed with a snare sound because Bruce Springsteen was obsessed with a snare sound.

If you make action movies, the critics will savage you, and then your movies are outdated the following week with the new wave of special effects.

When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn’t acting. It’s following instructions.