November 2010 – An Obama Alternative?

Tensions increased in the Middle East as fighting between Jordan and Iran intensified. President Obama has personally flown to the region to help resolve the problem by controversially asking President Ahmadinejad for a face to face meeting to see if a peaceful solution can be found. Although considered an enemy state it is an unprecedented move by the president who although has not ruled out sending troops to the area will wait for the UN to finish their investigations of the region before making a decision. Prime Minister Milliband advocated the bold move, seen by many nations as foolish, to be a great opportunity to bring stability to the area. Although declaring the UK to be a staunch ally of the US it would only contribute troops to the Middle East subject to the UN endorsing such a move. The UK is still sore over the capture of British sailors in March 2007 by Iran but there is a general consensus among the public that based on previous experience it was best to wait for the UN to finish conducting their investigation. The offer is another controversial move by the maverick president who last year held talks with Kim Jung Il over establishing better relationships between the east and west. It is being noted that since coming into power two years ago the current US president is willing to talk to leaders who were once deemed part of the ‘axis of evil’ as coined by the former administration. Although not always popular few can disagree that no other president, since Bill Clinton, has the interpersonal skills to reach out to nations who were deemed nothing more than enemies of the state. If the talks go ahead between the US and Iran it is hoped that the fighting will be stopped in the meantime.

As you probably have guessed I support Obama for president. However, I did try to write this in a non partisan way based on the statements made by both candidates here http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm and here http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm. Ok, McCain supporters can say that I have written a very extreme aggressive response from their leader’s camp. But there is not much for me to work with. This scenario is very much based on how the last current Republican administration dealt with the Iraq war. Remember the weapons inspection led by Has Blix for the UN and how they did not wait and disagreed with the findings? Only to be proved wrong. John McCain is a left wing republican but it is hard not to think that the right wing republican ideology will just diminish because he is in charge. Sarah Palin his right hand man is extremely right wing so I can imagine there being many more within the party in powerful influential roles. As for Obama, he is a bit of a flash in pan and has unparalleled oratory skills amongst the American political arena. He is willing to talk to people who are considered the West’s enemies and from a European point of view that is good. The world needs leaders that don’t get hyped up with militaristic buzzwords like ‘enemy combatant’ and actually is willing to meet a different culture, engage with them and maybe even resolve the problem without parking their tanks in the ‘enemies’ back yard. For that and more reasons (my hands getting tired and I can’t write anymore) Barack has my vote. Should he get in I will keep a close eye on whether Guantanamo Bay detention camp will get shut down.

In other news, I heard The Bewlay Brothers by David Bowie for the first time the other night. That song blew me away.