Barack who? Arabs weigh in.
Senator Obama is an unknown quantity as he tours the Middle East.
By Caryle Murphy | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor from the July 22, 2008 edition
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Several copies of Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope" are prominently displayed in Jarir Bookstore here. They have not moved in weeks.
Browser Najla Khaled doesn't change that. Standing before the same shelf and lifting her full-face black veil to survey her choices, she grabs novelist Jeffrey Archer's latest release and walks away.
It's not that she dislikes presidential contender Obama. "I saw him on Tyra Banks's show and I think he has great opinions," says the 17-year-old high schooler. But his policies have not roused Najla, who's only heard "some random stuff ... here and there."
Senator Obama's campaign may have launched groundswells of hope, ardor, and optimism at home and in Europe. But at the start of his closely watched trip to the Middle East, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee is little known in the Arab world, and has yet to generate widespread interest or enthusiasm.
From Baghdad to Beirut, people said in recent interviews that they are unfamiliar with his policies, except for his plan to move quickly to pull US troops out of Iraq.
In general, they said they prefer Obama over the likely Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona, whom they view as unsympathetic to Arabs.
Obama already declared his support to Israel.
While Israel enemies celebrate as a vitory the defeats they and Israel had, the world will be more on Israel's side than on the Hezbollah and Hamas side, even if Hamas seams to have finnally acepted that Israel and Palestina can live side by side, and that's already a good thing.
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
It matter to Arabs as they are tired of watching every US President and Gov provide full support to the Israeli Gov and block all UN security resolutions even when justified.
Dont make me wrong,im not Anti Israeli or Anti Arab, but you have to admit how one sided US Gov was and still is when it come to supporting,covering Israel back whatever their actions
Don't wait for the last judgment it takes place every day.
"Albert Camus "
This is from The Christian Science Monitor. Hardly a mainstream publication. I don't know what the agenda of the journalist is.
Personally, I don't see why Arabs should care that much about who the next President is but there is no doubt that his style and his policies are very different from George Bush and that can only be a good thing for the world. I imagine that most Arabs will adopt a wait and see attitude and hope that the next president sticks to a domestic agenda without sticking his nose too far into the domestic affairs of other countries.
Just call me Tigasin. That's what I'm talking about
I know it is true that it can be nauseating how Americans assume the world revolves around them. It is also true that 90% of the world's population is just struggling to get by and don't really have much time for local politics let alone international.
Really, I am impressed about how much more astute the average citizen is of any country outside of the US. Generally much more well read and multi linguistic.
Here's a funny segment from the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, titled 'Jay Walking'. This one is about the Bible:
I've seen this on CBS news today wherein they've asked people from Israel their thoughts on Obama. They very well know that whoever will be the Commander-In-Chief will have adverse effects on the ongoing issues in the Middle East.. But regardless who will be the next president, they are just hoping that it's all for the better of course.
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hahaha Southland I really enjoyed that article...especially the part about the shop owner expressing confidence in Obama because his middle name is Hussein so he must be Muslim (reminded me of the thread about Obama's name that went on and on).
Anyway, I personally maintain an interest in the campaign. And Im not American. But I do realise that what happens in the States does trickle down to the rest of the nations.
Most importantly...I have to step up my Obama support, now where did I put my "Im in love with Obama" t-shirts?
Southland, I see ur point, but I guess they are not talkin abt caring whether US exists as a military power/nation...they are talkin abt caring abt election propoganda and campaign going on in us.
People in other parts of the world might not view/follow it with as much interest and its jus natural...I dont think there is anything jingoistic abt not being interested in political matters of another country( but yeah,mayb in the way the disinterest is voiced :-p)
Looks like the author of this particular article was xpecting a lot more support to Obama in the middle east (because of his ethnic/relegious roots or whtever)and kinda had to change his opinion once he was here.
I love all of the Anti-American jingoism you guys spout off.
FYI - America is probably home to every ethnicity in the world. There are over 3 million Arabs living in America. I think the article may have something to do with the effects a US president/commander-in-chief may have on its foreign affairs. But, hey, if you guys wanna live in 'black hole' where the most powerful nation/military on the planet does not exist, more power to you.
Spot on rami.
The American gov't really loves the spotlight. It's for their country and they act is if we are really all ears on who will be the next president.
It's not that we're apathetic towards the situation, it's just that .. seriously? Our opinion nor does the Arab world's opinion don't really matter.
This is just a bunch of gibberish..
Bottom line, all we have is sympathy to those soldiers that they keep on sending to Iraq.
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He's a candidate for a domestic US election. Why the hell do the Americans presume that the rest of the world really gives a cr-p?
At the end of the day, the outcome is usually more or less the same regardless of who gets elected to the White House.
And at any rate, how many Arabs could give an informed opinion on Senator McCain and his policies????
This article tries to give the opinion that people don't like Barack because they don't know/care about him. That sentiment extends to basically all US political figures. What's the point in having an opinion? We can't vote for him, can we?
and why shud the arab opinion matter