It probably won’t come as a surprise that along with the rest of the world, Iraqis who aren’t struggling every moment of the day and night to keep body and soul together are watching the American presidential race with great interest.
This article from the Iraqi News Agency is as interesting for what it doesn’t mention as for what it does.
The writer, Sati’ Noureddine, doesn’t appear to favor Obama or McCain, says nothing of Palin’s fundamentalist Christian beliefs, and only mentions her daughter’s pregnancy in the context of how Obama allowed an electoral attack opportunity pass him by, for fear of Republican retribution.
Perhaps I’m overdrawing here, but it seems as though what interests this Iraqi author are the strategies and tactics of campaigning in a democracy. From an American point of view, perhaps that is cause for hope.
Among other things, Noureddine writes of Palin and then describes the different ways Republicans and Democrats choose candidates. Of Palin, he writes in part:
“She’s the seductress of the American election and her charms are new. Mrs. Sarah Palin retains much of the good looks she was blessed with when she was in her 20s. And she is showing off the rhetorical skills gained since she launched her plan in that state far away at the edge of the world, to move from beauty pageants and sporting contests into political affairs and oil. And now it’s on to the White House.”
Of Democrats, Noureddine writes:
“The Democratic Party has made the process of choosing leaders from outside traditional institutions a standard practice. This has been repeated in many presidential, legislative and executive election battles, culminating with Black Democratic candidate Barack Obama, a man whose origins, thinking and religion even today, remain unknown to many Americans. They don’t even know whether or not he drinks beer.”
Of Republicans and Palin, Noureddine writes in part:
“But the Republican Party and its leading figures have always emphasized a desire not to shock American public opinion, stressing caution when choosing candidates from outside a select political circle. It takes many years and even decades of public works before a member of the club reaches the top rank … But with the choice of Mrs. Palin, who has leaped with unbelievable speed to the head of the class – and perhaps to the top of the decision-making tree, it seems that it was time for this to change.”
A very interesting take from the Iraqis.
By Sati’ Noureddine
Translated By Jenny Oliver
September 6, 2008
Iraq – Iraq News Agency – Original Article (Arabic)
She’s the seductress of the American election and her charms are new. Mrs. Sarah Palin retains much of the good looks she was blessed with when she was in her 20s. And she is showing off the rhetorical skills gained since she launched her plan in that state far away at the edge of the world, to move from beauty pageants and sporting contests into political affairs and oil. And now it’s on to the White House.
Mrs. Palin isn’t old (44), yet if something untoward happens to elderly Republican President John McCain (72) and he’s prevented from performing his duties, she will assume the American presidency. It is a great example of the alien way in which the American political elite, specifically the Republicans, make use of symbols and are using her to gain power and take the reigns of the world’s only superpower.
The Democratic Party has made the process of choosing leaders from outside traditional institutions a standard practice. This has been repeated in many presidential, legislative and executive election battles, culminating with Black Democratic candidate Barack Obama, a man whose origins, thinking and religion even today, remain unknown to many Americans. They don’t even know whether or not he drinks beer, as was pointed out during a conversation between him and the press last week.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated and English-language foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.
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