Barack Obama is getting ready for his State of the Union address this week. He is aware that there is no rosy picture to paint; that his popularity has drastically decreased; that unemployment rates were not reduced; that the financial crisis' repercussions are heavy; that voters punished him in Massachusetts and gave the Republicans a permanent opportunity to blackmail him; that the health reform battle has become more complicated; and that the struggle with the giant banks is not a stroll in the park. Barack Obama is aware that the past year of his term did not have any concrete results on the external level. America's image registered an improvement, his speeches were well-received, and many welcomed the extended hand and dialogue policy. However, the complicated pending files remained pending. Also, some indicators point out that many of those who had bet on the first President with African roots are getting tired today of the dream seller. George Bush had addressed the world with the tone of a warrior and a General, and the world got tired of him. Obama addressed himself to the world as if he were the promoter of hope, and is currently being asked for results. At the moment of his election, Barack Obama was an extremely dangerous man for America's enemies. He wanted a pullout from Iraq, cooperation mechanisms with the great countries, and a dialogue on burning issues. He does not wish to divide the world into two camps nor does he want a confrontation with the “axis of evil”. He does not want to entrust US tanks with the mission of imposing democracy in this or that country. This new approach perplexed America's enemies. Obama was getting ready for his address when Osama bin Laden showed up. The message is simple. The Al Qaeda leader claimed responsibility for the attempt to bomb a Detroit-bound US airliner. He included it among his other messages, reminding people of the September 11 attacks, and promising additional ones. Once again, he used the injustice suffered by the Palestinians. He said that the Americans will not live in peace as long as people in Gaza suffer greatly. There is practically nothing new in Osama's discourse, if we exclude the outright claim for responsibility in the attempt to bomb the plane. Using the Palestinian issue is not new. Perhaps what is most important is related to the timing of addressing the message that renews the open war, and Al Qaeda's insistence to pursue the great upheaval program that relies on keeping the confrontation with America and the West ablaze. It also depends on taking advantage of the fire of confrontation to attract more supporters and warriors and exploiting American reactions to deepen the schism between America and the Islamic world. It aims to drain America and force it to vacate positions in the Islamic world, thus isolating the countries that are helped by the US economic, military, and security aid to stand in the face of the winds of instability. Bin Laden's message came at a time when US and NATO Generals have an increasing belief that the war in Afghanistan cannot be settled through military means, particularly in light of the turmoil in Pakistan, and that it is difficult to repeat the Sahwa experience that took place in Iraq. It also came at a time when Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in draining Obama's enthusiasm and his administration's status. Obama himself admitted a miscalculation in this issue. George Mitchell's back-and-forth trips no longer make headlines in the news. This is in addition to the absence of anything that implies that Iran is really interested in grasping the extended American hand. It can be said that Obama wasted in his first year an opportunity to produce a great upheaval against America's opponents in the Middle East. He cannot be strong towards Osama bin Laden if he is weak before Netanyahu. The same also applies to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Simply put, the situation would've certainly been different had Obama summoned Netanyahu at an early stage and made him take the road to peace. Negotiations were started on all tracks according to international resolutions for guaranteeing peace and establishing an independent Palestinian state. This could've produced a great upheaval in the Middle East that would remove the Palestinian card from the hands of those depending on it to impose their agendas. The blow against Obama did not come from Osama bin Laden, but from Benjamin Netanyahu. That blind warrior succeeded in foiling Obama's launching and in draining a great deal of his popularity.
