Friday, July 25, 2008

Europe's Obama cheers ring hollow in the Middle East

Here the US leader has much less power. Israel calls the shots, and the reality on the ground is gloomy and anti-peace

A so-so Comment

By Jonathan Steele
The Guardian, Friday July 25 2008

".....The difference is that Europeans know the American president holds the keys to war or peace. He has enormous influence in dragging European governments after him, as the disastrous Iraq adventure showed. So it is not surprising that many Europeans are crying out for a man in the White House who will be less aggressive, less unilateral, less imperial, and more attuned to the complexities of international policy. Obama seems to be the one.

In the Middle East the US leader has much less power. Israel calls the shots, and what's happening on the ground is deeply gloomy and anti-peace. The chances of creating a viable Palestinian state have almost vanished as Israeli settlements on the West Bank go on increasing and yet more checkpoints appear......"

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