THE MIDDLE EAST REACTS TO US ELECTIONS
"A Reckless Government of Idiots"
By Mohammad Ghazal
The Middle East is largely pleased with the outcome of the US midterms on Tuesday. It's about time that this "stupid government of Republicans" got what they deserved.
Just how far-reaching will be the changes in US policy now that the Democrats have taken over Congress? It's a question, of course, that no one can answer right away. But in the Middle East, analysts are already gazing into their crystal balls to see what the power shift in Washington might mean for the region. And it may not be all good.
Indeed, with US President George W. Bush now weakened, some are even concerned that American uncertainty about how to carry on in the region may create something of a power vacuum.
"US policy will be in a state of paralysis," predicted Abdul Menem Saeed, head of Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo in a conversation with SPIEGEL ONLINE. "It is true that the Democrats have won the House of Representatives but still they don't set US foreign policy." The US, he thinks, may become reluctant to act in the region.
Many, though, see that as a change for the better. A deep distrust of the US is widespread in the region particularly given the Bush Administration's early talk of wanting to spread democracy across the Middle East. While many would welcome more freedoms, the neoconservative zeal shown by Bush and his foreign policy team frightened many.
"The US government of Republicans and neo-conservatives, which is a reckless government of idiots, will be reined in with the Democrats taking over the House," Oraib Rintawi, President of the Al Quds Centre for Political Studies in Amman, told SPIEGEL ONLINE before it was clear that the Senate had also tipped toward the Democrats. ''The ability of the US to fuel crisis and start wars in the region will drop drastically." The Democratic take-over of Congress "is in the interest of all parties in the region."
Even as concern grows in the Middle East regarding Iran's nuclear program, the major concern continues to be Iraq. Worsening security in the country has neighbors worried about a full blown civil war. And America's apparent inability to solve the security problem has only heightened that worry. Indeed, the fact that Tuesday's victory for the Democrats was partially a response to Bush's failed Iraq policy did not escape observers in the Middle East.
Bassem Sakkejha, a columnist with the Jordanian daily Ad Dustour, 2007 will be the year of withdrawal from Iraq. ''The withdrawal from Iraq would not happen overnight but it will be greatly accelerated by the Democrats," Sakkejha predicted.
More than that, though, Sakkejha thought that the Democratic victory might actually improve relations between the US and the Middle East. The Arab Street, he said, is happy to see "a change of this stupid government of Republicans that are being led like a herd of sheep." The future, after all, could hardly be worse than the current situation, he said.
Perhaps. But given that it is largely the president who determines US foreign policy, could Bush not try to prove that his Middle East policy was ultimately correct? Might he not try all the harder for democracy in the region so that his party can hang onto the White House in two years time?
That, at least, is what Akram Bunni, a columnist for a number of Syrian dailies fears. "The core of US policy has to do with security," he said -- "especially in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks." He says that the Republican White House may impose even harsher policies on the region in their determination to democratize the Middle East.
Ultimately, though, no one is expecting things to change quickly. Of course the Democrats will begin casting about for a solution to the current quagmire in Iraq, but nothing is likely to happen overnight.
''The Democrats will not be capable of withdrawing the US troops from Iraq," said Elli Shalhoub, head of the Arabic and international news division at the Lebanese daily Al Akhbar. "Most of the action will be domestic because the Democrats will deal with their victory in a vindictive spirit and lots of internal issues will be tabled just to take revenge on Bush and his party," he said.
What y'all think will change based on the Elections?! Anything? Can the Democrates change something, do they even want to???
"A Reckless Government of Idiots"
By Mohammad Ghazal
The Middle East is largely pleased with the outcome of the US midterms on Tuesday. It's about time that this "stupid government of Republicans" got what they deserved.
Just how far-reaching will be the changes in US policy now that the Democrats have taken over Congress? It's a question, of course, that no one can answer right away. But in the Middle East, analysts are already gazing into their crystal balls to see what the power shift in Washington might mean for the region. And it may not be all good.
Indeed, with US President George W. Bush now weakened, some are even concerned that American uncertainty about how to carry on in the region may create something of a power vacuum.
"US policy will be in a state of paralysis," predicted Abdul Menem Saeed, head of Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo in a conversation with SPIEGEL ONLINE. "It is true that the Democrats have won the House of Representatives but still they don't set US foreign policy." The US, he thinks, may become reluctant to act in the region.
Many, though, see that as a change for the better. A deep distrust of the US is widespread in the region particularly given the Bush Administration's early talk of wanting to spread democracy across the Middle East. While many would welcome more freedoms, the neoconservative zeal shown by Bush and his foreign policy team frightened many.
"The US government of Republicans and neo-conservatives, which is a reckless government of idiots, will be reined in with the Democrats taking over the House," Oraib Rintawi, President of the Al Quds Centre for Political Studies in Amman, told SPIEGEL ONLINE before it was clear that the Senate had also tipped toward the Democrats. ''The ability of the US to fuel crisis and start wars in the region will drop drastically." The Democratic take-over of Congress "is in the interest of all parties in the region."
Even as concern grows in the Middle East regarding Iran's nuclear program, the major concern continues to be Iraq. Worsening security in the country has neighbors worried about a full blown civil war. And America's apparent inability to solve the security problem has only heightened that worry. Indeed, the fact that Tuesday's victory for the Democrats was partially a response to Bush's failed Iraq policy did not escape observers in the Middle East.
Bassem Sakkejha, a columnist with the Jordanian daily Ad Dustour, 2007 will be the year of withdrawal from Iraq. ''The withdrawal from Iraq would not happen overnight but it will be greatly accelerated by the Democrats," Sakkejha predicted.
More than that, though, Sakkejha thought that the Democratic victory might actually improve relations between the US and the Middle East. The Arab Street, he said, is happy to see "a change of this stupid government of Republicans that are being led like a herd of sheep." The future, after all, could hardly be worse than the current situation, he said.
Perhaps. But given that it is largely the president who determines US foreign policy, could Bush not try to prove that his Middle East policy was ultimately correct? Might he not try all the harder for democracy in the region so that his party can hang onto the White House in two years time?
That, at least, is what Akram Bunni, a columnist for a number of Syrian dailies fears. "The core of US policy has to do with security," he said -- "especially in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks." He says that the Republican White House may impose even harsher policies on the region in their determination to democratize the Middle East.
Ultimately, though, no one is expecting things to change quickly. Of course the Democrats will begin casting about for a solution to the current quagmire in Iraq, but nothing is likely to happen overnight.
''The Democrats will not be capable of withdrawing the US troops from Iraq," said Elli Shalhoub, head of the Arabic and international news division at the Lebanese daily Al Akhbar. "Most of the action will be domestic because the Democrats will deal with their victory in a vindictive spirit and lots of internal issues will be tabled just to take revenge on Bush and his party," he said.
What y'all think will change based on the Elections?! Anything? Can the Democrates change something, do they even want to???
