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Barack Hussein - ‘Without Doubt, Better Than Bush’: From Al-Ittihad of the United Arab Emirates

August 1st, 2008
By WILLIAM KERN

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Now that Barack Obama’s world tour is over - how do Gulf Arabs see the junior senator from Illinois?

While some commentary in the Arab world has been less than glowing, at least in the Persian Gulf States, hope for an Obama presidency remains high.

For the Al-Ittihad newspaper of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Khalfan Aloasi writes in part:

“All people, especially in the Arab and Islamic world, long to see Democratic candidate Barack Hussein Obama win, occupy the chair of the American President and replace Republican Bush at the helm of the United States.”

Dismissing Obama’s claims that he isn’t Muslim and explaining why Arabs are so hopeful about him, Aloasi continues:

“The way Obama absorbed the inside of America during the primaries is reflected in his compelling campaign slogan (change). In the same way, his intellectual assets and his Muslim origins have allowed him to absorb the thinking of many Arabs and Muslims, notwithstanding his subsequent assurances that he isn’t Muslim, which is a position taken for political purposes only … The entire world awaits Obama, considering him a good man to replace an “evil” one. It is Bush who has prepared the ground for Arab and Muslim religious and social support for Obama, a man who may find it possible to look at their problems differently than other presidents, especially Bush.”

Later, remarking on the unprecedented global popularity of Barack Obama, Aloasi appears to compare him to Jesus - as the Arabic word he used is the same used to describe the ‘Prophet Jesus’ in the Koran:

“It is commonplace to have U.S. presidential candidates become the focus of world public opinion and controversy. It’s to be expected that they become the center of attention for newspapers, analysts and other politicians. But in Hussein Obama’s case, almost everyone has gathered around him and considers him a possible world savior.”

By Mohammed Khalfan Aloasi

Translated By James Jacobson and Nicolas Dagher

July 30, 2008

United Arab Emirates - Al-Ittihad - Original Article (Arabic)

All people, especially in the Arab and Islamic world, long to see Democratic candidate Barack Hussein Obama win, occupy the chair of the American President and replace Republican Bush at the helm of the United States.

The way Obama absorbed the inside of America during the primaries is reflected in his compelling campaign slogan (change). In the same way, his intellectual assets and his Muslim origins have allowed him to absorb the thinking of many Arabs and Muslims, notwithstanding his subsequent assurances that he isn’t Muslim, which is a position taken for political purposes only. Obama has also absorbed global public opinion on his world tour, during which he visited several countries and offered his suggestions in regard to the world’s central problems, including wars into that the current American administration plunged the United States into - and which the Europeans should have nothing to do with.

The entire world awaits Obama, considering him a good man to replace an “evil” one. It is Bush who has prepared the ground for Arab and Muslim religious and social support for Obama, who may find it possible to look at their problems differently than other presidents, especially Bush. In Obama’s racial origins, skin color and youth, Africans and Asians find in him someone that they hope will ease their economic concerns and be more in tune with the distortions of American foreign policy - and the incapacity of the “neo-conservatives” to solve them.

READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.



This entry was posted on Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 2:24 pm and is filed under Anti-Americanism, Cartoons, White House, Neoconservatives, Muslims, Germany, Foreign Politics, Ideology, Political Philosophy, Bush Administration, Republican Party, Newsweek Blogitics, Iraq War, Hypocrisy, Newspapers, Mideast, Foreign Policy, Black/African-American, France, United Kingdom, Military, Political Cartoons, War, Middle East, Foreign Affairs, Politics, 2008 Elections, Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq, Islam, John McCain, Terrorism, Barack Obama, Cartoon Commentary, War On Terror, Minorities, George W. Bush, History. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Viewing 3 Comments

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    Is it just me, but isn't that cartoon from the Halifax Herald the exact pin that even the Republicans kicked out of a meeting recently? Good to see their cartoonist is stooping just as low as banned Republican partisans.
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    “All people, especially in the Arab and Islamic world, long to see Democratic candidate Barack Hussein Obama win, occupy the chair of the American President and replace Republican Bush at the helm of the United States.”

    This is reminiscent of the bizarre New Yorker writer in '68 wondering how Nixon could win because "I don't know anyone who voted for Nixon." A lot of Arab writers are completely solipsistic & write sentences like the above. Prone to exaggeration is a nice way to put the numbnut Arab press. [BTW., I have several Arab friends who have told me they prefer McCain.]

    I'm sure the Obama crowd winces every time they read moronic twaddle such as:
    "notwithstanding his subsequent assurances that he isn’t Muslim, which is a position taken for political purposes only … The entire world awaits Obama, considering him a good man to replace an “evil” one. It is Bush who has prepared the ground for Arab and Muslim religious and social support for Obama..."
    [BTW, doesn't this make GWB "John the Baptist" in the analogy the writer puts forward?]

    It's even worse in the Arabic-language press, which I used to read while living in the Middle East. Completely subjective & self-referential.

    The Economist & The Financial Times are the only foreign news outlets that "get" the US political scene.
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    Dave in Boca: Yes to Economist and Financial Times. On any airplane trip I read these as standard issue. If more time needed, add Wall Street Journal and the New York Times (Democratic Party flagship).

    "Completely subjective and self-referential": Like a lot of lefty conversation or material?
 
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