CAIRO: Egyptians are carefully looking forward to America’s newly inaugurated president, Barack Hussein Obama.
On Tuesday, Barack Obama made history when he took the oath to become the first African American president in US history.
Daily News Egypt took to the streets to find out what Egyptians expect from America’s new president – most are keeping their expectations in check.
Cairo’s subway system was rich with diverse political opinions on Obama
Salah, who was waiting for the metro, said that Obama was a breath of fresh air after enduring eight years of what he saw as a terrible presidency.
“Bush is the worst president in the history of the US, said Salah. “But I still think that it’s still too early to judge [Obama].
Salah said that he was happy about Obama’s willingness to dismantle Guantanamo Bay, which he feels holds many prisoners unjustly.
Just outside the metro station, many of the parking attendents working in the smaller streets of Downtown Cairo expressed a similar opinion.
“I like the man. He’s not a war monger, said Mahmoud Omar, one of the younger ones. “He will probably withdraw US forces from Iraq.
“I have a feeling that he won’t be as pro-Israeli as other presidents are, Omar added.
Yet, Omar said that he did not really keep track of the news and rarely discusses political issues.
Saber, a middle-aged kiosk owner who refused to reveal his last name, disagreed. He said that American politics will always be the same no matter who is president.
“There is really no difference between Obama and Bush because they are both following the same strategy, said Saber.
Saber opposes Obama’s plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq out of fear that the country will fall into a long, violent civil war. “It will be a catastrophe if the US withdraws their troops from Iraq.
Cairo s streets were not the only site of political debate.
Sitting in a quiet corner in an upscale coffee shop, middle-aged engineer Ahmed Hegazy disagrees with the pessimism that some feel.
“I think he will do a lot of great things, said Hegazy with his eyes transfixed on his laptop. “He doesn’t look like a radical.
Hegazy is aware of the political realities of America’s rigid foreign policy, including its staunch support of Israel. “He will be pro-Israeli just like any other president.
In another coffee shop, Khalid Ahmed, a young accountant who hopes to immigrate to Australia, said that shares the cautious optimism felt by many Egyptians in their attitude towards Obama. Still, he has no doubt that the era to come will be much better than the past eight years of the Bush administration.
“Bush is the worst president in US history, said Ahmed. “But we still have not seen anything yet.
Ahmed also added that the extent to which Obama supports Israel depends on how much he can resist the pressure of Zionist lobby groups.
The internet was a lively platform for discussing the current political situation in the US and how it might affect the Middle East. Wael Abbas, an award-winning blogger and author of misrdigital.com, said that while he is just as excited as everybody else, he does not look to Obama to bring about democracy or freedom of the press in the region.
Abbas said that the move for democracy must come from within. “I don’t want him to get involved in our internal affairs, said Abbas. “I hope Obama cuts diplomatic relations with the dictatorships in the region.
Along with several Egyptian bloggers, Abbas had travelled to the US to cover the elections. Like most people in the region, he still does not want to jump to conclusions. “We still have to wait and see, he said.
