ARAB AMERICAN WRITERS GROUP SYNDICATION
OP-ED, Distribution, Monday Nov. 10, 2008
Obama’s election can open new door for Middle East peace and improved relations
By Mohamed Hedi Triki – Barack Obama promised the American people to bring “change” with his election as president of the United States, but the anticipation for real change is greatest among the people in the Arab World.
The people of the Arab World have long felt left out by the policies pursued by past American presidents during the past decade but especially so in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
This desire for change has been mischaracterized in the West as being anti-American. Nothing can be further from the truth. The people of the Arab World admire the United States, long for the promises of freedom that are its foundation and hope to improve their relations in a world where justice prevails not just in America but in the Middle East, too.
The election of Barack Obama has not only created a new hope that the United States will not bring real change based on justice to the World, but it has created an opportunity, a doorway to improved relations and understanding between Arab countries and the United States.
This opportunity is not here because Obama is presumed Muslim, or that he has an Arab middle name, Hussein, or that he knows some Arab Americans that he worked with during his years after college.
Although these facts were used as instruments of criticism by his foes in the last election, for the Arab World, these are not the criteria we seek in a great leader.
To be a great leader, you don’t have to be Muslim. You don’t have to be Arab. Your middle name need not be Hussein. All you have to be is fair. All you have to be is just. All you have to is recognize that the Arab people are no different than the American people when it comes to seeking a better life and peace.
As I sat in Chicago watching the election results Nov. 4, I recognized Barack Obama not only won the election, he may have also won the hearts and minds of people throughout the Arab World. That includes in my country, Tunisia, where people believe that in his heart, Obama is a just and a fair man.
I know Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the president of Tunisia, and the Tunisian people are encouraged there will be better and stronger mutual relations with the American people because of Obama.
For far too long, countries of the Middle East have been at odds with the United States over foreign policy decisions involving not only Israel and Palestine, but also other Arab countries from Iraq to Egypt.
Much of this conflict has been driven by a misunderstanding of the Arab people and the inaccurate belief that Arabs support violence against American interests. In reality, the violent extremists are a minority who are outside of the Arab culture. But because of politics and regional conflicts, this minority of extremists have exploited the frustrations that dominate the majority of the Arab people. What Middle East peace, and what Barack Obama can provide, is a renewed belief among the people of the Arab World that the United States will understand our needs, our dedication to justice and our perspective on all issues including the Palestine-Israel conflict.
Barack Obama is not Arab, not Muslim and not an activist for Arab causes.
But Barack Obama is a man of peace, hope and justice who we in the Arab World believe has the power to do that which no other American president has achieved in many years: to win over the hearts and minds of the Arab people and usher in genuine peace in the Middle East. Peace not only in Palestine. Peace not only in Iraq. But peace throughout the Arab World.
We know this and that is why the people of the Arab World are waiting in anticipation for Barack Obama to do the right thing that is the corner stone of his heart.
(Mohamed Hedi Triki is a veteran journalist from Tunisia. He was the former editor-in-chief of al-Hurriya Newspaper and the former general manager of Tunisian-African News. He can be reached at trikiomar@yahoo.com.)
[Editor’s Note: Distributed by the National Arab American Journalists Association and the Arab American Writers Group Syndicate, coordinator Ray Hanania, rayhanania@comcast.net. To contact the author Mohamed Hedi Triki directly, please call 312-391-8912 or email Omar Triki, trikiomar@yahoo.com].
November 10, 2008 -
Posted by
Ray Hanania |
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Arab World, Barack Obama, Mohamed Hedi Triki, Tunisia, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali |
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RAY HANANIA is a syndicated columnist. His columns appear in numerous publications including the Jerusalem Post, the Arab News, the Arab American News, the Southwest News Herald and more. Hanania is the publisher of the National Arab American Times Newspaper. Named Best Ethnic American Columnist for 2007 by the New America Media, and the 2009 Mehdi Courage in Journalism Awardee, Hanania hosts a morning Radio Show of Radio Chicagoland, in Chicago (Mon-Fri, 8-9:30 am) on WJJG 1530 AM Radio. He is an internationally acclaimed standup comedian, author of the humor book Ya Habibi, and pens the Comic Strip called Shades of Gray. View his complete Bio?
ANISA MEHDI is an Emmy Award-winning journalist specializing in religion, the arts, and people. For over 20 years she has reported, written, directed and produced television news and documentary programs for major American media outlets, including National Geographic, PBS, ABC News, and CBS. Her commentaries have been heard on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Ms. Mehdi is founder and president of Whetstone Productions, a New Jersey-based production and consulting company. She is adjunct Professor of Communications at Seton Hall University. She writes a twice weekly for the Newark Star-Ledger Newspaper blog. View her complete Bio?
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