Jalal Quotes & Sayings

Trust is for lovers. In politics there are only converging interests. — Jalal Talabani

Justice for the major perpetrators cannot be separated from the vindication of the rights of the individual victim. — Jalal Talabani

No for the return of Saddam's Baath party. This is against the constitution and those who are negotiating to bring them back are violating the constitution. — Jalal Talabani

A greater international role is important to lift some of the burden from the shoulders of the United States. — Jalal Talabani

The brutal regime of the dictator fell ... the regime that ruled Iraq for decades, the decades of darkness. The decades that were of tyranny. — Jalal Talabani

I shall stand for freedom of thought and expression in a place where it has been trampled and penalized. — Jalal Talabani

Iraq is not occupied, but there are foreign forces on its soil, which is different. — Jalal Talabani

Words are a pretext. It is the inner bond that draws one person to another, not words. — Rumi

A military coup needs a sacrifice and courage that you can't find in an army without morale. — Jalal Talabani

There is a kind of sympathy with the Americans who are looked upon as liberators. — Jalal Talabani

Murderer, monster, madman... Khalid may very well be all of those things. But he's also loved. By me and by my father. But, most of all, by Shazi. With her, he is as fiercely loved as he loves. — Renee Ahdieh

Do not live in fear, Khalid-jan, for that is not a life. — Renee Ahdieh

I believe the democratic transformation in Iraq will lead to change in Middle East. — Jalal Talabani

It was an agreement between (former Iraqi president) Saddam (Hussein) and the shah of Iran (ousted in 1979) and not between Iraq and Iran. — Jalal Talabani

As president of Iraq, I shall strive to represent the diversity of a country that has too often in the past denied difference. — Jalal Talabani

To move any regime you need to have co-operation and co-ordination between Kurds, Shia Arabs, Sunni Arabs, the people and the army. Until we have this we cannot change the regime. — Jalal Talabani

Our plan is to struggle against terrorism and have security for the country and help draft a democratic constitution as soon as possible. — Jalal Talabani

Wishful thinking is one thing, and reality another. — Jalal Talabani

I voted 'yes' and I urge all Iraqis, no matter their different ethnicities and religions ... to vote 'yes' to the constitution — Jalal Talabani

The justice of our cause must be reflected in the manner in which we rectify the crimes of the past. — Jalal Talabani

Military confrontation is not a suitable alternative in confronting terror and current security threats. — Jalal Talabani

We are not denying that Turkey has a right to defend itself from extremists but some of its actions are not serving any democratic purpose in Turkey or in Iraq. This will not benefit the relations between the two countries. — Jalal Talabani

Human rights and individual liberties, including religious freedom, will be at the heart of the new Iraq. — Jalal Talabani

We are trying to persuade all the Iraqi opposition to come breathe freedom in Iraq and use liberated Kurdistan as a base for our common struggle. — Jalal Talabani

Talabani and Al-Maliki want to keep their seats for ever. Talabani forgets that the side which brought him to power was the United States and it brought him by rigging the elections. — Jalal Talabani

The Kurdish people welcome the no-fly zone protection, contrary to the Iraqi regime that is against it. — Jalal Talabani

All I wanted was to be a university teacher. — Jalal Talabani

We need to make a distinction between misled Iraqis, those who believe that they are carrying weapons to liberate Iraq from what they call occupation, and criminal gangs that came from outside and wants to wage a deadly war on the Iraqi people, killing women and children in mosques and churches. — Jalal Talabani

Rather, it is through conciliation and compromise that we are building a fair Iraq, a just state for all its peoples. — Jalal Talabani

Suffering is a gift. In it is hidden mercy. — Jalal Al-e-Ahmad

He had only began to process his confusion when Captain al-Khoury seized him by the arm.
Tariq knocked away the arrogant boy's hand. "What - "
"Do you still love her?" He spoke in a urgent whisper.
"That's none of your business."
"Answer me, you fool. Do you?"
Tariq clenched his teeth, returning the captain of the Royal Guard's fierce glare.
"Always."
"Then make sure she never comes back. — Renee Ahdieh

We believe that an Iraqi founding national assembly, freely elected, must decide the future of Iraq. — Jalal Talabani

Self-determination could mean independence, confederacy, federal and autonomy. — Jalal Talabani

We must provide all kinds of freedom, personal and economic, to all Iraqis. I will fight for that. — Jalal Talabani

...I love her. I think I want to be with her."
"Be careful, Captain al-khoury. Those words mean different things to different people. Make sure they man the right things to you."
"Don't be an ass. I mean them."
"When did you mean them?"
"I mean them now. Isn't that what matters?"
A muscle worked in Khalid's jaw. "Now is easy. It's easy to say what you want in a passing moment. That's why a harem waits outside your door and the mother of your child won't have you."
He strode back toward the palace.
"Then what is the right answer, say yidi? What should I have said?" Jalal called out to the sky in exasperation.
"Always. — Renee Ahdieh

The Western governments will be encouraged and persuaded to deal with the real representatives and listen to the real voice of the Kurdish people. — Jalal Talabani

In what world did you think you could get away with this?" Jalal seethed. "To my cousin? To my family?" His gleaming hilt continued its punishing onslaught. — Renee Ahdieh

Jalal," she said, "I can explain."
"There's no need."
"I'm not - "
"I told you; there's no need." He spoke simply. "I trust you. — Renee Ahdieh

Democracies, unlike dictatorships, are forgiving and generous, but they cannot survive unless they fight. — Jalal Talabani

Conciliation is not capitulation, nor is compromise to be deemed equivalent to imbalanced concession. — Jalal Talabani

Iraq is not going to starve to death because of the absence of assistance from Arab countries. — Jalal Talabani

You are free to leave, as well." Khalid resumed his trek toward his chamber.
Jalal cut it front of Khalid. "You look terrible." His eyes were bright, and his forehead was lined with worry. — Renee Ahdieh

It is the American air protection, which safeguards the freedom enjoyed by the Kurdish region. It guarantees the cultural, health and civilizational progress made in Iraqi Kurdistan. — Jalal Talabani

I'd much rather fall to my death than admit my weakness to you."
"The captain of the Royal Guard wants to impress a lowly handmaiden?"
"A clumsy young man wants to impress a beautiful young woman. — Renee Ahdieh

The Kurdish people have the right of self-determination like every other nation in the world. — Jalal Talabani

What about Danny Thomas?" Uncle Hal asks. "What happened to him?
"Dead," Uncle Abdelhafiz says. "Nice Lebanese boy."
"Never mind about Danny Thomas, look what happened to your whole family! Look at your cousin Farouq, Great Uncle Ziad, Auntie Seena and Jimmy's son Jalal," Aunt Jean cuts in disapprovingly.
"Dead, dead, dead, and in jail. — Diana Abu-Jaber

It was a vain attempt at indifference, on both their parts.

For Shahrzad bore silent witness to the truth. It was only for an instant, and they never glanced at each other. Yet, she wondered how anyone could miss it - the subtle shift in Jalal's shoulders, and the telltale tilt to Despina's head.

Shahrzad smiled knowingly. — Renee Ahdieh

Jalal shook his head and moved toward Khalid. "She is. Please give her a chance to explain."
"Leave," Khalid commanded quietly.
"Don't let your fear and your distrust ruin this."
His uncle took Jalal by the shoulder.
"She loves you!" Jalal continued, his tone heedless. "This is not what it seems. Maybe it began as something else, but I would bet my life on what it is now. She loves you. Please don't fall to hate. You're not your father. You are so much more. She is so much more. — Renee Ahdieh

This will be Iraq for all without discrimination among Iraqi citizens, or ethnic or sectarian discrimination. — Jalal Talabani

So you would have me throw Shazi to the wolves?"
"Shazi?" Jalal's grin widened. "Honestly, I pity the wolves. — Renee Ahdieh

We must acknowledge that for scores of years the Iraqis have offered martyrs and victims but have not been able to change the regime. — Jalal Talabani

Our gratitude to the American people is immense and we should never be embarrassed to express it. — Jalal Talabani

I must tell you that I am committed, as the president of Iraq, to benchmarks and to do our best to achieve some progress forward for national reconciliation. — Jalal Talabani

Do you think you're invincible? That you live off nothing but fresh dew and cold fury? — Renee Ahdieh

Every human must take responsibility for his actions. — Jalal Talabani

Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You have seen your own strength.
You have seen your own beauty.
You have seen your golden wings.
Of anything less,
why do you worry?
You are in truth
the soul, of the soul, of the soul. — Rumi

My door will always be open to those who genuinely renounce violence and seek peaceful accommodation into our nascent democracy. — Jalal Talabani

Without demolishing religious schools (madrassahs) and minarets and without abandoning the beliefs and ideas of the medieval age, restriction in thoughts and pains in conscience will not end. Without understanding that unbelief is a kind of religion, and that conservative religious belief a kind of disbelief, and without showing tolerance to opposite ideas, one cannot succeed. Those who look for the truth will accomplish the mission.
Mevlana Jalal ad-Din RUMI — Rumi

Jinnah's "Pakistan" did not entail the partition of India; rather it meant its regeneration into an union where Pakistan and Hindustan would join to stand together proudly against the hostile world without. This was no clarion call for pan-Islam; this was not pitting Muslim India against Hindustan; rather it was a secular vision of a polity where there was real political choice & safeguards, the India of Jinnah's dreams, a vision unfulfilled but noble nonetheless. — Ayesha Jalal

Under extremely difficult circumstances (Iraq) pursues the inherently complicated task of rebuilding the country. Yet Iraq continues, courageously, to reach for the promise of a democratic, federal and pluralistic state, where generations of oppressed Iraqis will regain their dignity, freedom and the right to join the civilized and progressive nations of the world. — Jalal Talabani

(A dervish was tempted by the devil to cease calling upon Allah, on the ground that Allah never answered, "Here am I." The Prophet Khadir appeared to him in a vision with a message from God.) Was it not I who summoned thee to my service? Was it not I who made thee busy with my name? Thy calling "Allah!"was my "Here am I." Jalal-uddin Rumi — Aldous Huxley