ONLY two days are left for the hotly contested American presidential elections. Across the seas, election fever has caught up with expatriates and overseas Americans in the Kingdom. “McCain or Obama- let the best person win,” said Layal Zok, a Lebanese working in the US consulate in Jeddah. “The world is going through a financial crisis where peace and harmony is at its worst. The president should have positive policies and be able to bring changes in the world, end wars and eliminate terrorism,” said Layal. Speculating the future strategy of the US president, Abdulghani Desai, a mechanical engineer, said America would do its best to cut costs. “America cannot afford its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq any more. The president should find a way out of Iraq first,” he said. Desai believed that Obama will emerge victorious. “To know the whereabouts of Osama will be the top priority of Obama. He will want to maintain good relations with Pakistan as America will need Pakistan's help to get Osama and to keep a check on Al-Qaeda and Afghanistan,” he said. Desai said Obama's win would further peace talks in Palestine and Israel and eventually settle the Iran issue. “Obama will also aim to improve relations with India to keep a check on China,” he said. Like Desai, Ahmed Yezdani, an office administrator in United Sugar Company in Jeddah, believes that Obama will be the next US president. “Obama will try to make more friends than enemies,” he said. Hameed-ul-Hassan, a banker, said Obama is a practical man. “He will focus on the foreign policies which interfere with sovereign countries and will not wage another war in Iran. Obama may also withdraw troops from Iraq,” he said. Hassan said McCain doesn't appear to be a man of his words. “If McCain wins, nothing will change in world politics and the US economy will further deteriorate,” he observed. Aleem Khan, an Indian businessman, said McCain has nothing new to offer and that he is only a follower of George Bush. “McCain wants to win by all means. His selection of Sarah Palin as a running mate is one such attempt,” he said. Khan said Palin does not have the caliber required to run a country and that being glamorous is not enough. “Obama has innovative ideas and policies to offer. He has an ability to bring a change,” he said. However, many like Abdul Mateen Khan, an IT project manager in PAL Group Abu Dhabi, do not see any difference in the two men's policies, as according to Mateen, policies are set beforehand. Businessmen Waqas Shaikh and Muhammad Shujaat are certain about Obama's success, but are unsure of his policies. “Both Obama and McCain have the same policies. However, Obama may use diplomacy more than military action,” Shaikh said. Komal Naz, a student, said McCain stands a higher chance of victory. “Though McCain belongs to the Republican Party, he may ultimately win as many in the US believe that Obama is an African with a Muslim background,” she said. Mohammed Ali Uddin, a Pakistani engineer in Dammam said that despite Obama's charisma, McCain is more likely to win. “ Siham Khan, a Pakistani marketing manager reasoned why Americans may not be averse to a black president. “The world has seen what white presidents like Hitler and Napoleon have done in the past. Obama is young and energetic and has a clear vision,” she said. Jonathan Rauch, an American columnist in the National Journal magazine, said, “Bush will be remembered as the president who laid the strategic groundwork for an extended struggle against terrorism and someone who made democratization the centerpiece of foreign policy.” Marwan Al-Jassim, a Syrian electrical engineer in Jeddah, said he does not care who wins or loses. “All I know is both are enemies of Islam and the Muslims. They sympathize with Israel and are not concerned about Palestine and other Muslim countries. They wage wars on Islamic countries and have roughly the same policies,” he said. __
