While the US President-elect Barack Obama might never be on the receiving end of an Iraqi journalist’s shoes like his predecessor, the initial optimism that came with the election of the first African-American president has partly subsided for the Middle East.
The muted optimism is derived from Obama’s cabinet appointments, beginning with Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff – the Chicago representative is the son of an Israeli member of the Irgun, famous for its role in the Deir Yassin massacre of Palestinians in 1948.
It was further complicated by his appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State due to her longstanding staunch pro-Israel stance and her close ties to Jewish groups while New York Senator and keeping on the current administration’s Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
And while the last Democrat President, Bill Clinton, made much headway during his term at the White House for the Middle East peace process, Obama has bigger priorities as he pointed out in his acceptance speech.
“We know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century, he said.
It was reported that Obama had sent his senior foreign policy advisor Robert Malley to both Cairo and Damascus these past few weeks to outline the president-elect’s plans for the region, which appear to be an intention to further strengthen ties with staunch US ally Egypt and begin boosting relations with Syria.
Yet in an interview with Daily News Egypt earlier in the year, President of the Arab American Institute and Lebanese American James Zogby said that an Obama victory was imperative for the Middle East, if only to reverse the path of the current administration which would have continued with a Republican victory.
“We have made such a mess over the last seven years of this administration on so many levels. Today we’re ground down in a war in Iraq and we still don’t know a way to get out. Given the policies of this administration it threatens only to become worse as we go forward. The regional complications of that for Iran and Turkey and the Gulf states are very serious, he said.
“We’ve neglected a peace process that I think has created some problems that may be irreversible at this point. I do know that the situation was more solvable seven years ago than it is today. And throughout the broader region, extremism has been emboldened, Iran has been empowered, Zogby added.
The Egyptian newspaper Al-Badeel said in an editorial after Obama’s victory that it “doesn’t mean that we’re about to witness a radical change in American policy and that not much would change for the Arab nations in the region, as US policy is all about “preserving Israel’s superiority over all its Arab neighbors and (having) oil at an acceptable price.
Indeed Obama and his running mate Joe Biden have been at pains to display their support for Israel, with Obama promising Jerusalem to be the “undivided capital of Israel and Biden stating that Israel would not find a better friend than him.
In his acceptance speech Obama pointed out that he would be unequivocal when dealing whether with friends or enemies.
“To those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you, he said.
US Ambassador to Egypt, Margaret Scobey, told reporters after Obama’s victory that she was looking forward to Obama’s inauguration to see what his positions will be regarding the Middle East.
“Throughout his campaign – both candidates frankly – have made clear their support for peace. In fact he (Obama) just mentioned [that], he didn’t mention any country specifically but he said look, America will always be there in support of those people who are in search of peace and stability in their countries.
Asked whether Obama will change America’s image in the world Scobey replied, “That I think will be for the world to decide. Americans are proud of this election, Americans from every aspect of American life came out to vote and color was not an obstacle. And I think that is a very amazing message for us.
