By Abdirahman Ahmed Ali

Barrack Hussein Obama, Jr.: that is the full name of Senator from Illinois and Democrat’s presidential hopeful. The majority of the U.S Christian conservatives considered the name a taboo, and described inappropriate to use.

“No, it is not. Any comment that is disparaging of either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is totally inappropriate.” Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain rejected commenting on the middle name of Obama. Obama’s campaign thanked McCain’s stance on the propaganda, claiming a victory for the high road to the white house. U.S. Media reported that McCain described the use of Obama’s middle name as inappropriate but later apologized.

Obama will be the first United States President loved by the people of Africa. And he will make history of becoming the First Black U.S. President.

American citizens for many years carried Semitic names even fourteen of 43 U.S Presidents had Semitic names. Besides high-ranking U.S. Military officials owned and have today Semitic Middle Names like Omar Bradley, George Joulwan and John Abu Said who served in Iraq.

Barrack Hussein Obama is proud of his middle name, which is in honor of his grandfather, Hussein, a secular resident of Nairobi, Kenya. Americans may think of Saddam Hussein when they hear the name, but that is like thinking of Stalin when you hear the name Joseph. But in Obama’s case, it is just a reference to his grandfather.

However, in Middle East and Africa, Obama has more supporters compare to any other U.S. Presidential candidate due to his origin from Africa and his policies that will end the U.S. Military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. The million question is, will Senator Barack Obama is going to bring his oft-promised change to the Middle East, or he will become prisoner of his middle name?

Obama is having an understanding of Muslims due to his years as a child in Muslim-majority Indonesia and owing to the fact that his late father and maternal grandmother were Muslims. Obama would bring a very different perspective than other candidates. He has not been afraid to say that if elected president, he would forcefully engage himself in the Middle East peace process from day one and pullback the U.S. Forces from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Majority of Middle East residents consider the American’s fight on terror in the region as hidden agenda of Crusader – After U.S. President George W. Bush vowed to fight like Crusaders after 11 September terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Crusaders are Christian forces that destroyed Islamic civilizations in earlier history.

Obama addressed Muslims and Arabs directly and has shown that racism can be beaten in everywhere, and that he will not tolerate discrimination. This is not a policy change, but major change in attitude. Arabs believe that Obama can create excellent environment for freedom and U.S. will no longer take the back seat with regard to implementing its policies in the Middle East.

George W. Bush created environment of hatred, as the U.S. citizens cannot move freely across Islamic world without owning private security or bodyguards. The situation was different during Bill Clinton administration. If we compare the damages and lost of lives from terrorist attacks on world trade center in New York, we can unveil that Bush’s war on terror killed lives and destroyed properties three times more than that of terrorist attacks. I can say, Bush has shattered the dream of Americans and that of international community.

Bush administration’s blind support to Israel is another sign of disappointment. Israel commits crimes against humanity in Palestine, where the innocent people killed daily. Israeli Air forces destroy civilian houses in Gaza and kills women, children, infants and elderly indiscriminately. But Bush and his henchmen in White House remain silent on such barbaric crimes against unarmed civilians. Even, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon condemned Israel for using excessive force against unarmed civilians.

Bush violated UN Charters on sovereignty of other nations and invaded Iraq without proper permission from UN Security Council – who advised his administration not to step in Iraqi territory without UN Draft allowing that.

Bush’s cowboy policy will lead McCain to loose the election to his democrat rivals. The American citizens are sick of war; they want government that creates thousands of jobs and boost the economy. Trillion of dollars are paid to finance the so called war on terror, and people are killed everyday. The U.S. Citizens want their lost dignity and respect back between the Arab and Muslim world. Al-Qaeda won more supporters due to bush’s cowboy policy that kills thousands in Arab world wide.

Obama is right man to lead the world to a better and saver place, its time for fresh American eyes in the Middle East. Obama is pushing for passage of legislation that requires the U.S. Government to cut global poverty in half by 2015. Besides he is supporting campaigns to protect the environment particularly against global warning. He is a man of long-term vision but not a cowboy who knows only killing and destroying other’s properties.

My final word.

Obama will be the next president of United States of American and will bring back the lost stability in the world.

Obama would carry neither the legacy of Bush nor the baggage of Clinton. And while the fear of disappointment is real, neither should the power of hope and a fresh pair of eyes. Can Obama do it? Yes he can.

By Abdirahman Ahmed Ali

Email: an.ahmed@somaliland.net