While US President-elect Barack Obama continues to receive acclamation from around the world following his historic election, many are eager to see a change in the policies which led to the unpopularity of outgoing President George W. Bush.
At stake is the US economy which is under the threat of recession, the nuclear threat posed by North Korea , the challenges in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the Palestinian Question among other daunting issues — hardly the most auspicious beginning for a new President.
Muslims around the world, though they did not expressly support the election of Obama, at the same time had reservations about endorsing his rival John McCain, who they saw as a continuation of the Bush policies. Muslims have come to loathe the United States especially because of its invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.
The so-called war on terror launched by George Bush after the September 11 attacks has been seen as a war on Islam and has had a big impact on Muslims not only in the United States but also in other parts of the world.
In this campaign, constitutional rights and legal safeguards have been violated as the US stepped up its campaign to hound those perceived to be terrorists and their allies.
The Guantanamo Bay detention centre still stands out as a bitter legacy for the unfair treatment of Muslims by the Bush administration.
In addition, the American invasion of Iraq, which contravened international law, has has led to the unpopularity of President Bush and greatly dented the American image around the world.
The
invasion, together with the military campaigns in Afghanistan and
Pakistan, have left widespread destruction and loss of thousands of
lives, further generating anger among Muslims.
Unwavering support
America’s unwavering support for Israel even in the face of its campaign against Palestinians has been a bitter pill to swallow for Muslims around the world.
They see this support as the main reason for the continued Israeli occupation of the third holiest Islamic shrine — the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.
While Obama has
spoken out against the occupation of Iraq and pledged to pull out
American troops within 18 months, he has affirmed more American
military presence in Afghanistan.
The President –elect has also
indicated that he could launch a punitive attack on Pakistan if it
fails to cooperate fully in the war on terror.
So far, Obama’s line-up of top officials comprises pro-Israeli lobbyists. The vice-president, Mr Joe Biden, is on record as saying that Israel is “the single greatest strength America has in the Middle East.’’
The appointment of Rahm Emanuel, a pro-Israel hardliner as Chief of Staff is likely to be viewed with disappointment by those who hoped that the president-elect would break with the Bush administration’s pro-Israel policies.
The White House Chief of Staff is often considered the most powerful office in the executive branch, next to the President.
In Congress, Emanuel has been a consistent and vocal pro-Israel hardliner. In June 2003, for example, he signed a letter criticising Bush for being insufficiently supportive of Israel.
Far from going against Israel, the new team could turn out to be as pro-Israeli as the one it is replacing.
There is no doubt that Obama’s election is a momentous event in history, being a big leap forward especially in the struggle to address historical injustices in America.
But while clarion calls for change have convinced an eager world that Obama will change the US and change its foreign policy, for Muslims, however, there are no early indications that the change they can believe in will come any time sooner.