In the midst of the economic turmoil, the Iraq war is taking a back seat in this presidential campaign. Not so for the 400,000 Iraqi Americans. With continued ties to Iraq, the single most important issue on their minds is the fate of their ancestral home. Whom they will cast their votes for on November 4th is not as clear.
Will Iraqi Americans vote for the candidate who wants to end the war or for the one who vows to continue fighting? Not an easy choice if your home country is the prize. Not surprisingly, the Iraqi community is split.
At the beginning of the campaign, an undecided Iraqi American friend of mine was leaning toward McCain, afraid that if Obama followed through with his promise to withdraw American troops, Iraq would fall into chaos. Now he is leaning toward Obama. Why? He says Obama will be more accepted by the Iraqi people, and thus more likely to make breakthroughs. Second, he hopes Obama’s continued pressure on the Iraqi government to take responsibility for their own country by setting a timetable for withdrawal will yield results.
I add that, of the two, Barack Obama is the more thoughtful, more patient candidate. John McCain is locked into the mindset that the military has the most potent answer to all international crises.
On the day Colin Powell announced his support for Barack Obama, he said to a reporter, “Those images going out on Al Jazeera are killing us around the world. And we have got to say to the world, it doesn't make any difference who you are or what you are, if you're an American, you're an American.” Powell was referring to an exchange between John McCain and a supporter at a rally, in which McCain corrected a woman who started to tell him she does not trust Obama because he is an "Arab." He said, "No, ma'am, he's a decent family man."
Indeed, Al Jazeera, like other news outlets across the Arab World, strongly denunciated the deafening silence that followed the incident. “McCain's crowds have displayed an ugly side of the American electorate – a group who are afraid of people who are different. Maybe it is entrenched racism mixed with fear mongering and a couple of decade’s worth of Arab-bashing,” posted Al Jazeera on its website the next day.
Powell’s comments are not only visionary, but they also are accurate. Al Jazeera has become a leading source of news and information across the world. Hours after Al Jazeera’s quoted article, dozens of comments about the incident appeared on its website, coming, literally, from the all corners of the globe, including the US, Canada, Afghanistan, Angola, Ireland, Argentina, UK, New Zealand, Pakistan, Brazil, and Australia. All expressed outrage and disaffection with the GOP and with America.
There is an opportunity in the horizon. On November 4th, we will decide to either continue on the righteous, ultra-patriotic path of the Bush administration or choose Barack Obama for President and give the American people the chance to portray to the world their true values of tolerance and inclusiveness.
I never believed Senator McCain’s age should be, as Ronald Reagan put it, “exploited for political purposes.” But his choice of running mate makes his age and health relevant. This choice was clearly political. Governor Palin, he thought, would excite his skeptical base and maybe win over Hillary Clinton supporters. Knowing she is an avid hunter, a conservative, a Washington outsider, and a maverick, McCain fell in love at first sight.
But where does this leave America?
Nine out of 43 American presidents did not complete their term in office. That’s more than one in five. Not a high probability, but not a remote possibility either. Should it happen in a McCain presidency, Palin would be making decisions on issues ranging from nuclear proliferation to double digit unemployment. Does anyone really believe she is the right leader to deal with two wars, a collapsed economy, an energy crisis, an unstable nuclear Pakistan, job migration to India, a rising China, or any other challenge thrown at us?
Barack Obama’s level of experience was questioned by some at the start of his campaign. But after 18 months of campaigning, the American people have come to know his background, his record, and his accomplishments. He has demonstrated intellect, judgment, calm, and leadership. The same cannot be said of Palin.
On October 16, 1962, President John F. Kennedy was having his breakfast when he was informed that a US reconnaissance plane had discovered a Soviet nuclear missiles site in Cuba. JFK spent the next five days in secret meetings with cabinet members and other civilian and military advisers, deliberating the appropriate response. Some members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff advocated military action. Others made the case for a sea blockade against Cuba. They had to consider all the possible Soviet responses. They also had to bring on board European allies and the American public. With US missiles staged in Turkey and the USSR threatening to invade Berlin, a lot was at stake. Careful but decisive action was imperative.
JFK was 45 years young, with less than two years in the White House. Yet, he was the only one with the power and awesome responsibility to make the momentous calls. He did. And history is a testimony to his wise judgment. Less than two weeks after the discovery of the missiles, the Soviet Union agreed to their dismantlement and the world was spared a disaster of unimaginable proportions.
What does this have to do with this year's presidential election? When we vote on Nov 4, we must choose the person who has the essential leadership qualities, like those of JFK—someone who is thoughtful, deliberate, calm, steady, and certainly not a maverick.
The selection of a Vice Presidential running mate is arguably the first major decision made by each candidate for President. It is important not so much because of the role the Vice President plays during and after the election, but because it gives a preview of how the presidential candidate will govern.
There is no need to make the case that Barack Obama’s decision was far superior to his opponent’s because this is undeniable. Palin’s rationalization that she possesses foreign policy experience because Alaska is readily visible from the Russian President’s plane is just one example of her naiveté. The case I do want to make is that the contrast between Obama’s and McCain’s choices speaks volumes about how each candidate will conduct his presidential responsibilities.
There is no mystery behind McCain’s choice: he was seeking to salvage his faltering campaign. Unlike his slogan "Country First,” McCain’s intentions in selecting Palin were purely political and self-serving. But did he salvage his campaign? In other words, did McCain achieve his intended goal, noble or not? In the few days following the Republican Convention, as Palin was introduced to the general public, it appeared he did. Two weeks later, however, it became increasingly obvious she lacked the basic knowledge and substance to be Vice President. So much for McCain’s foresightedness. If this decision was the first major test of his ability to govern this nation, we must conclude he failed.
Most of us know that Barack Obama's Father comes from Kenya, and his step father from Indonesia. Some may know that he has a step sister, from his Mother's side; which makes her half Indonesian. This sister is married to a Chinese Canadian. Not many, I am guessing know that Barack has four other half siblings, from his Father's side and a Kenyan Mother. Except for one sister who lives in London, the siblings still reside in kenya. Add to all that that Mr. Obama spend most of his school years in Hawaii, which is, well, not part of the continental US.
Of course this is not take away any of Barack Obama attachment to the main land. He was raised by a Kansan Mother and Kansan Grand Parents and his Grand Dad is a WWII Veteran. You cannot get any more American than that. Except for the four years Barack spent in Indonesia, at a very young age, he went to all- American schools in Hawaii and to college in Colubmia- New York City and Harvard Law School. He chose Chicago as home in his adult years, before and during his term as a US Senetor.
What is the point of all this? Obama has a wordly view ... of the World. It is difficult, as the saying goes, to put yourself in someone else's shoes. Barack Obama does not need to. He was in many different shoes and knows exactly what it feels like to be in each pair.
