Quotes of the Morning: Rollercoaster of Love, Pt. 2

“First the ride goes slowly goes up the rise..”
-Skippy

"One of Iraq's leading democracy and human rights advocates is Safia Taleb al-Souhail . . . Three days ago in Baghdad, Safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country -- and we are honored that she is with us tonight."
-George ‘Dubya’ Bush, February 2, 2005

“There was an emotional moment during Wednesday's State of the Union address when the mother of a 25-year-old Marine killed in Iraq, Janet Norwood, embraced an Iraqi voter, Safia Taleb al-Souhail. They were among the guests invited to sit with the president's wife Laura Bush for the annual address.”
-Voice of America, February 3, 2005

“As lawmakers stood and cheered, al-Souhail, holding back tears, flashed a "V" sign and showed her voting finger, too.”
-CNN, February 3, 2005

“When Norwood started to pull back, the chain from her son's dog tags, which she had been holding, became entangled in al-Souhail's accoutrements. The women had to disentangle themselves on live television, the awkwardness lending the moment an unrehearsed charm. It was, by any measure, magic.”
-Washington Post, February 4, 2005

“And then the terrifying plunge..”
-Skippy

“Secular Iraqis said on Wednesday a proposed new constitution left no room for doubt about the Islamist path the country was heading down two years after a U.S.-led invasion was supposed to produce greater freedoms . . .
The draft says Islam is the official religion of the state and there can be no law that contradicts the ‘fixed principles of its rulings.’ . . . Language guaranteeing ‘rights and freedoms’ is subordinate to the primary position given to Islam, opponents say.”
-Reuters, August 24, 2005

“Souhail said the United States, a crucial backstage player keen for a deal that meets U.S.-backed deadlines, had let the Shi'ite Islamists and Kurds in government do as they wish. ‘We have received news that we were not backed by our friends including the Americans. They left the Islamists to come to an agreement with the Kurds,’ she said.”
-Reuters, August 24, 2005

"When we came back from exile, we thought we were going to improve rights and the position of women. But look what has happened -- we have lost all the gains we made over the last 30 years. It's a big disappointment."
-Safia Taleb al-Souhail, Iraq’s Ambassador to Egypt, August 24, 2005

“Man, you’d think that, for some strange reason, women are getting the short end of the stick in Iraq. That can’t be right. We went there to liberate them from Saddam’s oppression and to shut down the rape rooms (now to be re-opened under new management). I remember Fearless Leader saying so. A big thank you goes to Billmon for the Quotes.”
-Skippy