[Peace-discuss] WSJ (and the Independent) gets something right, more or less

[C. G. Estabrook]

[From today's Wall Street Journal.  --CGE]

Obama as Bush's Heir

Our view has long been that the next president, whoever he is, will not 
fundamentally depart from Bush's foreign policy, as much as saying so may now 
seem a winning political message. In particular, we expect the U.S. will still 
have troops stationed in Iraq on Jan. 20, 2013, even if President Obama is 
delivering his Second Inaugural Address on that day.

One observer who agrees with us on this point is Adrian Hamilton of London's 
left-wing Independent newspaper:

     When it comes to the actual policies that might replace those of Bush, 
there is no great debate inside the US or outside. Barack Obama's early efforts 
to suggest talking directly to Hamas and (breath [sic] it not abroad) even 
President Ahmadinejad of Iran aroused such vituperation and such swift 
accusations of lack of patriotism that he has been forced to retreat almost 
completely from them. Barely had he ensured himself the Democratic candidacy 
than he appeared before the AIPAC lobby declaring his full support for a united 
Jerusalem--a step that even Bush never made. . . .

     Washington after Bush is not going to come up with a whole new set of 
foreign policies. It's almost certainly had it with grand visions. Bush has seen 
to that. But what it could do, and what its allies and competitors should dearly 
wish for, is to have a president that can restore some faith in itself. An 
America whose people start to feel better about themselves is better for us all.

     There is only one candidate who can do that and it isn't John McCain, for 
all that he could work perfectly well with the foreign offices around the globe.

The Middle East Media Research Institute picks up a report from London-based 
Al-Hayat that reinforces the point:

     Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that U.S. Democratic 
presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign managers had reassured Baghdad 
that if Obama is elected he will not dramatically change Washington's policy 
towards Iran and will take into account the opinions of the commanders in the 
field.

     Zebari noted that this reassurance is important, in light of the widespread 
impression that Obama is expected to completely overturn current policy.

Obama has gulled millions with promises of "change." But remember, change for a 
dollar is still a dollar...

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