12/01/2009 / USA - MIDDLE EAST
Despite Barack
Obama's good intentions, I don't expect anything good to come from the US. I'm currently
reading a book he wrote, about his impressive journey, and yes we will surely
see lots of good things, but he's not a super hero. He remains, like all his
predecessors, constricted under pressure from various lobbies.
If I were
American, I would have voted for him. His charisma, intelligence and vision of
the world is a good thing for the US. I'd like to have a leader like
him.
Gaza: what can Obama do?
Image:
theisraelprojectgallery.
Despite pressure from around the world, US president-elect Barack Obama has remained quiet about Israel's offensive in Gaza since the attack began. On Sunday, in an interview with American channel ABC, he simply promised to get involved in the affair once he takes power. Can he, and will he revolutionise America's foreign policy in the region? Should he start talks with Hamas? Our Observers in the area at hand tell us what they think.
"Obama's not a super hero"
Ghassan Abdullah is an IT engineer from Ramallah.
Despite Barack
Obama's good intentions, I don't expect anything good to come from the US. I'm currently
reading a book he wrote, about his impressive journey, and yes we will surely
see lots of good things, but he's not a super hero. He remains, like all his
predecessors, constricted under pressure from various lobbies.
And when you look at the people that he's put in his team, thinking of Ram Emmanuel, I wonder how he's going to be able to stand up to a pro-Israeli lobby. Diplomatically, the US prefers, as Kissinger once said, to control instability, to act as a referee. I doubt Obama will begin talks with Hamas before Iran. The Americans are only interested in oil, and they will act in their interests as usual."
"I don't think Obama's planning to do any harm to Israel"
Niv Calderon lives in Tel Aviv. He supports the Israeli offensive by "fighting" the online battle.
If I were
American, I would have voted for him. His charisma, intelligence and vision of
the world is a good thing for the US. I'd like to have a leader like
him.
The friendship between his country and mine is not only very strong, it's also irreplaceable. I don't think Obama's planning to do any harm to Israel. On the contrary, on his last visit here, he came to Sderot, the town targeted by Hamas missiles. He expressed his solidarity with the residents and said that they have the same problem in the States, and he'd do everything to stop the attacks. That's what Israel's doing today by fighting a group that wants to destroy us. I don't know if Obama will gain anything by talking to Hamas, but you never know - realpolitik is unpredictable.
I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic, I don't know what he's got planned, we'll judge him on his actions and I hope he manages to sort out the problems. I know he's engaged people who worked in the Clinton administration who've got experience with the region. From Israel, Obama looks great. I believe in Obama the man, not the brand."
Yes We Can... end the occupation
Pro-Palestine protest in Chiago. Photo posted on Flickr 2 January by Tom Callahan.
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a possible equation
Submitted by Falastine on Sun, 18/01/2009 - 14:50.I don't think that Obama will do any harm to Israel and he doesn't has to. It's totally possible to be fair to Palestinians while keeping a good relation with Israel. The truth is, Obama won't hurt Israe, but Israel will hurt itself if it's government and people(whose 90% of which supports war on Gaza) if they keep on standing against change - Palestinians right to have their free state and right of self determination.
Falastine
gaza
Submitted by Unregistered user.joseph walker (not verified) on Wed, 14/01/2009 - 11:42.It is not what Obama can do,but what these countries should do ,is educated its people ,not in the doctrine of hate ,these terrorist indoctrinate its uneducated people with hate ,and aided and abetted by the other ignorant broadcasting and news media in the west. have a distorted belief ,these terrorist represent thier best interst.
Unregistered user
ignoant if you mean the palestinians
Submitted by gulzar issa (not verified) on Sat, 17/01/2009 - 13:34.if you mean the palestinians being terrorists go read the history a terrorrist is one who goes to a country and forcefully at gun point remove people from there ancestral homes where generations have lived survived on olives for hundreds of years and wake up in the morning by rumbles of bulldozers forced by foreighners from countries that did not want them demolish there homes bulldoze hundred year old olive trees then put the old and children in prison camp starve them then ignorant people call them terrorists when they fight back for there land that was forcefully taken away while the so called UNITED NATIONS and world media cameras rolling watch then the same people witnessing these acts go back and tell there viewers that these people armed with what ever small arms try to fight back the terrorists who are now the third largest armed with the worlds most sofisticated weapons then still ignorant people beieve these to be the terrorists you should if you dont know how to read should ask someone who can to read you the history
Unregistered user
Obama and gaza
Submitted by Unregistered userjoseph walker (not verified) on Tue, 13/01/2009 - 12:36.The first thing Obama can do is make sure Israel.has more sophisicated weapons,and the latest technological information.
Unregistered user
so that Israel can KILL more
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 18/01/2009 - 21:42.so that Israel can KILL more children and innocent civilians?
Unregistered user
What can Obama do to stop the "Carnage??
Submitted by Krapotkin (not verified) on Mon, 12/01/2009 - 22:40.The only US President, who dared to put Israel on notice, to stop an aggression, was Eisenhower, who put a stop to the 1956 Suez War, and had Israel vacate Egypt territory immediately, by ordering the suspension of all US aids and the threat of blocking all monatary private transfers, and the selling of Israeli Bonds on the US market.
According to historians, it did work quite well,and nobody accused Eisenhower of being an anti-semite!
But unfortunatelly, since then, all US Presidents, surrendered to the US Jewish Lobbies. Bush's policies, according to many,were made in Tel-Aviv!
Obama, instead of studying Lincoln, should study Esenhower's policy with Israel!
Remeber, when President Bush the First, tried to refuse a 10 billions loan guaranty to Israel, because of his opposition of the savage and illegal colonisation of West Bank by settlers. He was attacked by the entire Media and Jewish Lobby, as an anti-semite.
Must have lost his re-election partly for this reason!
Unregistered user
Obama
Submitted by David Howard (not verified) on Wed, 14/01/2009 - 09:24.The way the person went on about Israel influencing the U,S,A it seems like they have been reading too much Hitler!!
Unregistered user