Verbatim

'Other countries have the Mafia. In Bulgaria, the Mafia has the country.' ATANAS ATANASOV, a member of parliament, on the nation's history of political corruption and violence

'The occupier will retain its bases.' MUQTADA AL-SADR, Shi'ite cleric, on why Iraq's parliament should reject a security pact with the U.S.

'There was no fraud involved. This person is a dead fish.' BETH NUDELMAN, a Chicago resident, after her deceased goldfish Princess received voter-registration forms in the mail; the family once jokingly filled in the pet's name when it got a second phone line

'They're not going to shoot us; it's not Iraq....

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