As far as we are concerned, we Syria have not changed.

As soon as the legitimate Lebanese government is convinced that the conditions have ripened and that Lebanon is able to maintain stability on its own... Then, the Syrian forces will return to their homeland.

Today, the Iraqi citizen sees that America is coming and wants to occupy his country and kill him, and he is willing to experience for himself what happened in Palestine.

Israel does not care about the international public opinion.

But the issue has to do with land, which is our land.

When we analyze this war in a materialistic way and ask when is it going to end and who will be the winner and the loser, it means that we do not see the endgame.

No doubt that the U.S. is a super-power capable of conquering a relatively small country, but is it able to control it?

The most significant indicator that there is no disaster in Iraq is the fact that there is no exodus.

When our interests matched, the Americans have been good to us, and when the interests differed, they wanted us to mold ourselves to them, which we refused.

The Israeli lobby has clout in the U.S., which means that re-arranging the region and controlling its resources one way or another, will serve Israel through its control over the American administration.

Worry does not mean fear, but readiness for the confrontation.

The problem is not the occupation, but how people deal with it.

We, in Syria, our point of view stems from our experience.

Israel ranks her priorities in the following way: security, land, and water.

As far as we are concerned, we Syria have not changed.

Israeli interests are not necessarily in harmony with the American interests.

It would be a mistake to link anything that Israel does to a certain circumstance. And it is a mistake to feel comfortable in any circumstance just because Israel did not act on it.

When Lebanon started its resistance it was a small and divided country.

We believe that Lebanon has been the first real experience for all the Arabs.

Armies are not only for offensives.

It should be known that Israel is based on treachery.

Despite the ethnic diversity within each nation, the social fabric of the region by and large is one.

You in Lebanon, your power is no match to Israel. Israel, militarily, is more powerful than you and maybe it is more powerful than all the Arab countries, or most of them.

It is even more so when it comes to Iraq, which is a large Arab country with scientific, material, and human resources and is able to accomplish, at the least, what Lebanon accomplished, and more.

We are dealing with treachery and threats, which accompanied the establishment of Israel.

The U.S. and Britain are incapable of controlling all of Iraq.

Since its very inception, Israel has been a threat.

Hizbullah is not a militia.

It is natural that we should always expect an Israeli attack, even when it does not threaten.

America is interested in re-arranging the region as it sees fit.

The logical thing is to implement the Arab Defense Agreement.

Lebanon was under Israeli occupation, up to its capital, but we did not consider that a disaster. Why? Because it was very clear that there are ways to resist.

None of us and none of the Arabs trust Israel.

Is there an equality of power between America and Iraq? Definitely not; however, the Iraqi people are standing fast and are defending their land courageously.

I am Syrian, I was made in Syria, I have to live in Syria and die in Syria.

Syria is geographically and politically in the middle of the Middle East.

The problem with the West is that they start with political reform going towards democracy. If you want to go towards democracy, the first thing is to involve the people in decision making, not to make it.

We have more difficult circumstances than most of the Arab countries but in spite of that Syria is stable. Why? Because you have to be very closely linked to the beliefs of the people. This is the core issue.

You cannot reform your society or institution without opening your mind.

Its not exactly fair to make a mistake yourself and then start blaming others for it.

But for us, in Syria, we have principles. We'll do anything to prevent the region from another crazy war. It's not only Syria. Because it will start in Syria.

Evolutionary biology is crazy because sometimes it seems anybody can draw any conclusion they want.

I'm easy to find on the Internet.

Breathing is hard. When you cry so much it makes you realize that breathing is hard.

The censorship is such on television in the U.S. that films like mine don't stand a chance.

Well, any time I'm preparing for a performance or even a rehearsal, it's as if in a way, like any other athletes, these are muscles that support the vocal cords which are just I believe cartilage. It demands a kind of constant warming up and a constant feeling of where is the voice today.

Any suggestion that I'm writing about political operatives because I'm interested in political operatives misses the entire point.

Resolve never to criticize or downgrade yourself but instead rejoice that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

The thing is, I'm a very practical filmmaker.