Verbatim

“If you reach a verdict of death … remember that I am a military man and should be killed by firing squad and not by hanging as a common criminal.”
SADDAM HUSSEIN, former ruler of Iraq, requesting his method of execution during his trial for crimes against humanity. The court is expected to deliver a verdict in October

“Our little neighbors to the north should not fear. I am not planning to be in office at that age.”
FIDEL CASTRO, Cuban President, noting that more Cubans are living to be 100 years old, thanks to his country’s social-welfare system. Playfully needling the U.S., Castro—who turns 80 next week—suggested he would step down before he reaches that milestone

“It is not in my judgment the most glorious page on my country’s history.”
CHRIS PATTEN, last governor of Hong Kong, when asked during a visit to the territory why Britain did not do more to introduce democratic reforms in Hong Kong while it was a colony

“It’s not any different, as far as I’m concerned, than if you killed dogs and sent them to France.”
T. BOONE PICKENS, billionaire Texas oilman, prior to testifying before Congress last week in favor of a ban on the industrial slaughter of horses in the U.S. Nearly 100,000 horses are killed each year for their meat, which is exported to Europe and Japan, where it is considered a delicacy

“If it’s something worse than that, he doesn’t deserve to win.”
ARLENE LANDIS, mother of Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, saying she hoped the result of his drug test—in which the cyclist tested positive for high levels of testosterone—was due to the medication he was taking to treat the pain in his injured hip

“Yes, I’m sorry I did it.”
STEVE CASE, co-founder of AOL, apologizing for his company’s 2001 merger with media giant Time Warner (owner of TIME). The deal wiped some $200 billion from the corporations’ market value