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Barre Shetto
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Now that the US Democratic Party primaries have concluded following five months of rigid and sometimes personal campaign, the nominee, Mr. Barrack Obama will surely come under closer scrutiny for his policies both domestically and abroad.
On the domestic front Mr. Obama should have a firm policy to deal with dwindling American fortunes particularly the declining housing market, credit crunch and the ever soaring oil price.
On the international front Americas influence on the world in general and Middle East in particular is at its lowest ebb thanks to the 8 years of war mongering neo-conservative policies.
Few countries in the Arab world would even raise an eyebrow when the current American administration talks of Middle East policies. The recent tour by American president to this region to pressurise the oil producing Arab countries to increase the output of oil in order to curb its soaring price has yielded nought, furthermore Iran and Venezuela have both stopped selling their oil in US dollars settling instead for the Euro. The recent agreement by the warring faction on power sharing in Lebanon was mediated by the Arabs themselves, the solution was contrary to the one bush’s neo-conservatives wished.
The question is then, will Obama change the perception Middle East has towards American administration once elected as the president of USA?
Mr Obama has bigger challenges ahead, although he sounds diplomatic in his approach to issues like Iran, Syria and Hamas, nevertheless he has been shaking off the image of weakness on this crucial matter following his utterance that he will sit down with Iran in order to settle their difference.
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| U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama addressing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee . (AP) |
At a meeting with AIPAC (America-Israel Public Affairs Committee) Mr Obama said “I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, everything………………..Let there be no doubt: I will always keep the threat of military action on the table to defend our security and our ally, Israel. Do not be confused”.
On the issue of Palestine and Jerusalem he had this to say and I quote “Any agreement with the Palestinian people must preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state, with secure, recognised, defensible borders. And Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and must remain undivided”.
This drew a wrath from militant group Hamas - which had once said it liked Mr. Obama – they saw this as proof the US is hostile to Arab and the Muslim world.
In America though one recent opinion poll suggested 15% of Americans still believe - surprisingly - that Obama is a Muslim, this, even against a backdrop of controversy caused by his church’s bishop pastor Wright.
A friend of mine recently pointed out to me that if elected American president Mr. Obama would go out of his way to prove to the Americans that he has nothing to do with Islam, this could mean an attack on a Muslim country probably Iran or Syria or even both to appease the doubters.
On the other hand Mr McCain, the republican’s nominee will surely be an experienced fellow who is ready to shake off the legacy of George Bush and therefore could be the right man to undo the mess in the Middle East.
Barre Shetto
United Kingdom
E-mail: [email protected]