Obama through the Eyes of Middle Easterners and North Africans

Miray Zaki

With an Arabic middle name (Hussein—meaning “Handsome” and referring to one of the Prophet Mohammed’s followers), Barack Obama has attracted much of the Muslim world’s attention. “If he’s a Muslim he’ll defend the Islamic cause against the infidels!” “Will he be the first black president of the United States?” “What are his motivations towards Africa and the Islamic world?” And many other comments are heard within the Arab world. In this report, I will cover viewpoints from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Earlier in the race, the overwhelming sensation in the MENA region was appreciation and respect for a nation where a black American of Kenyan descent, a white woman (and an ex-First lady), a Mormon, and reputable gentlemen of various age groups can democratically compete for the presidency.

Once the race has been trimmed down to Obama and McCain, it is important to note that perceptions of a viable president in the Arab world vary drastically from those in the western countries. For instance, religion, ethnicity, and education are not front and center in the minds of western voters; meanwhile, they are focal points (especially the religion issue) for almost all Middle Easterners.

Despite the fact that race, particularly designations as “white” and “black,” does come into question in an American or western vote, it is not an issue when it comes to MENA voters. MENA voters focus more on the nominee’s motivations/agenda, educational background, religion, and connections when it comes to presidential elections. Race does, however, play a role in marriages whereby there is a slight preference towards lighter toned people.

Perceived occasionally as “snobbish” and occasionally as the “voice of modern democratic reason,” Senator Obama has generated many opinions across the Arab world. Informal polls on the Internet have suggested that the intellectual experts are almost unanimous in their skepticism of both the U.S. Presidential race and the candidates, with occasional support for the Democratic candidate.

Since the current president is a Republican, some people in Arab world fear that a third Republican term would mean the continuation of a policy of acquisition of critical Middle Eastern territory in the name of the so-called “war on terror.” Obama, as a Democratic nominee, therefore has a comparative advantage. Pundits in the Middle East, however, recognize and appreciate the fact that not all Republicans are alike and that Senator McCain has vast foreign policy expertise which Senator Obama lacks. Meanwhile, Senator Obama’s early opposition to the war in Iraq was a significant plus in shaping his political image in the Arab world.

Aside from foreign policy expertise, education is a major differential between the candidates. Obama’s law and civil rights background, prior to his service in the Senate, sets him at a comparative advantage over McCain’s Naval Academy background. Despite the fact that McCain’s naval background lends him considerable credibility while addressing issues like war and peace, Obama’s lack of military exposure lends him a more “peaceful” demeanor in the eyes of MENA dwellers.

By far Senator Obama’s biggest “strength,” in the eyes of the Arab and Islamic world, is his heritage. The dominant religion in the Arab world is Islam. Looking back at Obama’s childhood, he attended a Muslim school in a Muslim country (Indonesia) and had Muslim biological and step-fathers. Consequently, the fact that Obama is perceived as being raised a Muslim gains him blinding acceptance in the hearts of millions of Muslim Arabs—especially from those who think his claims that he is a Christian are just temporary to attract voters from the Bible Belt. From the American perspective, twenty-six percent of voters consider him a Muslim, which may earn him the votes of Muslim Americans, but lose those of other and more skeptical Americans. Informal conversations with strong Muslim believers reveal that, if Obama was indeed a convert from Islam to Christianity, they believe he should—under Islamic Shariaa law—be killed.

On the other hand, with more voices championing the first U.S. African American “Muslim” president, Christians, predominantly in Northern Africa, are becoming more anxious. Irrespective of Obama’s religious beliefs, some Christians in the MENA region are skeptical that once elected president, Obama would defy his predecessor’s support of human rights in the Middle East—particularly the right to freely practice one’s religion.

As smart politicians, Senators Obama and McCain often tactfully dodge questions about their individual stances on the Middle Eastern issues: Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and other hot topics. Although starting off his campaign with neutral to positive comments towards the Arab-Israel conflict (from an Arab perspective), Obama changed his tone and language the further he went in the race. Senator Obama’s views on such issues are simply not understood in the region, especially following his visit to the Middle East and his statements in Israel (1). Obama’s selection of Joseph Biden as his running mate added to this skepticism, as news hit major newspapers in the region, “many Arabs [who view Biden as pro-Israel] were flabbergasted” (2). An interesting balance exists, however, in people’s perception of both Obama and Biden as “non-war politicians” and the fact that Obama—unlike Senator McCain—included meeting Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on his itinerary.

Among all these tangents and opinions, one fact dominates: with the onset of every U.S. presidential election, the lay Arab person on the streets is becoming more and more engaged and tuned into the American political process that will ultimately define how the region (Middle East and Africa) will shape up (or down). Following the opening of the Democratic National Convention featuring Senator Kennedy and Michelle Obama, the overriding sentiment in the Middle East is slowly tilting toward Obama.

Endnotes

1. <http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/07/middle-east-mix.html>

2. Al Tamimi, Jumana. “Will Biden be good for Arabs”, Gulf News (United Arab Emirates), August 26, 2008, 15.

Miray Zaki earned an MBA from the University of Chicago. She is a former associate at Deutsche Bank Group, London, and currently resides in the United Arab Emirates.