The dawn of November 5, 2008 represents the beginning of the new "American Dream," the inevitable end to the illusion of the "Big Victory." The hope of change for the American people and the peoples of the region suffering the winds of terrorism and the arrogant storm of the war on terror. For the Americans and the region, hope means nothing more than ending the killing, and more specifically, awakening rationality. With President Obama elected amidst exceptional popular enthusiasm, the dream means an end to illusion. The Americans too are counting the coffins returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. They see no full "democracy" in Baghdad without the guardianship of the occupation. They do not sense that Iran has been tamed by sanctions and the threatening stick, nor do they see Israel surpassing all Arabs despite its legendary army. Most importantly, the Americans who elected Obama for change and for ending America's consecutive disasters voted for the African-American candidate to end the pessimistic phase of the Bush administration. This administration cannot claim any victory in shielding the curse of terrorism off the US, its security and its citizens. Nor can it claim to guarantee prosperity since it has been haunted by the complicity of speculations and fraud on Wall Street, not to mention the involvement of a few of its members. The Bush era started with lies and ended with an astounding defeat that can only be matched by the magnitude of Obama's landslide; lies that started a losing war in Iraq after the illusion of force in Afghanistan, followed by consecutive "diplomatic" failures from Iraq to Palestine, a failed confrontation with the Russian "partner," and a confrontation by proxy in the Caucasus. On top of this comes the ending which emptied the pockets of many Americans following the turbulences and meltdowns in money markets; an ending that certainly played in as a major voter in Obama's ballot boxes. In brief, if the end of the Bush era will mark the end for the evils inflicted by the neoconservative gang on Americans and the world, the main issue at the beginning of the transitional phase is for President Obama to transform American policy from unilateralism and rules of conduct imposed on allies and friends to a revival of democratic traditions. This primarily requires rationality and dialogue rather than muscle flexing and illusionary massive force. Each has his wishes in the region. A few are still savoring the lessons and advices that suit their dreams, while others are led to believe that African-Americans and Democrats in the US chose Obama only because of the failure of the Republicans to implant the "paradise" of democracy in Baghdad, to end the suffering of Iraqis at the hands of terrorism or the pains of Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or even to eliminate Karzai's disappointments in the struggle with Taliban with the daily waves of murder. Without belittling the will of American voters, the question that surfaces is: What justifies the high cost in Afghanistan if the ending is nothing more than an offer for dialogue with the Taliban enemy? What justifies the price in Mesopotamia (regardless of the fact that mediators have plundered oil under American guardianship) if the ending is an Iraqi courageous defense of the country's sovereignty and ferocious resistance to the efforts to impose the security agreement? The meaning of the American Dream: Enough fraud and lies. Obama will certainly not be lured into pulling the troops out of Iraq or Afghanistan tomorrow, nor to calling for an immediate international conference to announce the defeat of an American era or to give in to a partnership with all allies on the basis of dialogue, listening, and consideration for the rights of others and their societies. He will not apologize today to the Iraqi people for the murder of a million Iraqis, the plundering of Iraqi oil and the disappearance of billions; nor will he apologize to the Palestinian people for the illusive "vision," or to the Afghans for the lost years and empty promises…This is, after all, nothing but a transitional phase. The dawn of the "dream" is the beginning of a dream of change. Its realism lies in Obama's raising the weapon of American democratic values that encouraged the Europeans yesterday to pin their hopes on a "new contract." What has happened was never good enough to retrieve a balanced approach to decision making in the management of world policies. The Wall Street shock was nothing but the last shivers of the era of sweeping American force that is incompatible with the politics of dialogue, partnership or the recognition of the interests of the other. Americans have the beginning of a dream which they chose by electing Obama to get rid of the September 11 syndrome. The latter left them chasing "enemies" all over the world. It is a landslide for those opposing the militarization of politics by arms and money. It is unfortunate, on the other hand, that the Arab dream will start with the victory of the African candidate and his arrival in the White House. Alas, the majority of Arabs tries to seek this dream in Obama's "sympathies" with his roots, perhaps wishing that this dream will offer him a free opportunity to make up for the sins of the Bush administration. Between illusion and politics lies an ocean of illusions.
