Africa's a wreck and it's not because it was hit by an asteroid. It's a wreck largely because it was hit by Europe.

In the case of [Antonio] Gramsci, the Fascist government agreed that he was a "model intellectual" in [Edward] Said's sense, and for that reason determined, in their words, that "we must stop this brain from functioning for twenty years."

Arab public opinion does not regard Iran as a hostile entity. In fact it's so supportive of Iran that a majority would think the place would be better off if Iran had nuclear weapons. The main enemies are the United States and Isreal, in the 80, 90 percent range.

You have to rely on yourself and your associates - gifts don't come from above; you're going to win them, or you won't have them.

The US is to an unusual extent a business-run society, where short-term concerns of profit and market share displace rational planning.

Travel from what is called Pakistan to Afghanistan has been made increasingly difficult and people are often labelled terrorists, even those who might be just visiting families.

Half the population hold that the government is run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, as polls regularly show.