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. We might have to pay a fine and serve a little time in jail.' TED STEVENS, Alaska Senator, caught on a taped phone conversation played during his corruption trial

'Maybe life, as it unfolds, will perfect it.' ALEJANDRO COLANZI, of Bolivia's National Unity Party, on the nation's newly ratified draft constitution, which grants rights to the indigenous population but faces opposition from provincial leaders

'Never in my dreams had I imagined that I would drive my truck to the other side.' BABAR ALI, who drove the first vehicle that crossed from Pakistan to India along a newly reopened trade route on the Kashmiri border that had been closed for 61 years

'We make sure one is absorbed completely into the family before we add another.' ANGELINA JOLIE, actress, on the possibility of adopting another child after having had twins

Back & Forth:

Gitmo

'Most of these aliens were detained after attending or traveling to terrorist training camps.'

U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, appealing a federal ruling to release 17 Chinese Muslims from Guantánamo Bay to the U.S.

'The true fear is not that they will pose a security threat but that they will serve as living reminders of the Administration's mistakes in setting up Guantánamo.'

JENNIFER DASKAL, of Human Rights Watch, noting that the men haven't been considered enemy combatants since 2004; they remain in custody

Campaign

'Al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming election.'

AL-HESBAH, a terrorism website quoted by the Washington Post, saying John McCain would continue the "failing march of his predecessor," George W. Bush

'It is ridiculous to believe that in its heart of hearts, al-Qaeda wants John McCain to be the President.'

McCain adviser JIM WOOLSEY, accusing the Post of running an "inflammatory" story

LEXICON

Afghanicide n.--The destruction of the country and its people as a result of war among the Taliban, the government and NATO

USAGE: "Afghanicide--the killing of Afghanistan--must be stopped," says Israir Ahmed Karimizai, a leader of Awakened Youth of Afghanistan, a prominent antiwar group --CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, OCT. 20, 2008

Sources: AP; New York Times; Christian Science Monitor; AP; New York Times; Washington Post; New York Times

For daily sound bites, visit time.com/quotes