Philippine Commentator on US election

This article is by a Philippine commentator. Romualdez does not seem to realise that the Democrats and in particular Clinton are very little better if any than Bush on the Iraq war and US foreign policy in general.


Republicans are in for a disaster



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BABE’S EYE VIEW By BABE ROMUALDEZ



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There’s no doubt the Iraq situation continues to be the hottest political issue in America, with George Bush’s popularity continuing to go downhill and his approval ratings reaching record lows. Bush tried to draw more support for continued troop deployment by comparing Iraq to Vietnam, warning that a pullout could result in more deaths. While there are similarities between the two wars, the difference is that there were no weapons of mass destruction — the excuse used to launch the Iraq invasion — found in Iraq. Americans are questioning the wisdom of sending more troops to Iraq, and the mounting death toll — which has reached more than 3,700 — is a fact that has fueled more anger in Americans.



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The Philippine Star

There’s no doubt the Iraq situation continues to be the hottest political issue in America, with George Bush’s popularity continuing to go downhill and his approval ratings reaching record lows. Bush tried to draw more support for continued troop deployment by comparing Iraq to Vietnam, warning that a pullout could result in more deaths. While there are similarities between the two wars, the difference is that there were no weapons of mass destruction - the excuse used to launch the Iraq invasion - found in Iraq. Americans are questioning the wisdom of sending more troops to Iraq, and the mounting death toll - which has reached more than 3,700 - is a fact that has fueled more anger in Americans.

Iraq war supporters came out with a $15-million advertising blitz showing wounded soldiers asking lawmakers to support more troop deployment, but people are not buying it. Even the “coalition of the willing” is getting torn and frayed, with British troops reportedly lukewarm in their duties at the war zone. The number of British soldiers will be reduced by the end of the year, and it can be recalled that Tony Blair was booted out as prime minister largely because of his support for George Bush and his Iraq war policy.

A Middle Eastern ambassador told me that Iraq is a country that cannot be controlled because of its numerous Muslim sects and tribes, so it really takes strong arm tactics like what Saddam Hussein used for people to toe the line. Saddam was brutal, but the ambassador said it was probably the only way to control a chaotic nation like Iraq. Saddam presented such a terrifying figure that the Kurds, whenever they were in his presence, would cower in fear, and refrain from looking him in the face. When they had to leave his presence, they would walk backwards with eyes downcast.

No question the biggest stumbling block for Republicans is the Iraq situation, even with a fresh assessment from 16 intelligence agencies backing the American president’s stand for sustained US troop buildup and more aggressive counter-insurgency tactics. The Iraq war is clearly taking its toll on the US presidency, and even George Bush Sr. is feeling the heat. A longtime adviser disclosed that “Bush 41” gets hurt every time strangers walk up to him saying they love him, but they don’t like his son. While the elder Bush tries to distance himself from his son’s presidency, those in the know say he continues to give foreign policy advice. Father and son are in constant communication, and Bush Sr. has even privately expressed irritation at some of Jr.’s advisers feeling they have not served the current president well. Some people are insinuating that there could be an unspoken rivalry between the two, but the 80-year-old Bush Sr. had openly declared in a speech that he supports his son “in every single way with every fiber of my body.”

With still a year to go before the November 2008 US presidential elections, it looks like the Republicans will be facing a rough time with their continued support for the war effort. Rudy Giuliani strongly advocates a continued offensive, and he also faces criticism from conservative Christians regarding his pro-choice leanings and his three marriages. Mitt Romney doesn’t fare any better with his assertion that the controversial Guantanamo camp should be doubled - in stark contrast with the recommendation of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and State Secretary Condoleezza Rice to close the facility. John McCain - who once called conservative leaders as “agents of intolerance” - echoes the Bush position, warning that a pullout could drive up oil prices, embolden terrorists and ravage not only Iraq but the rest of the Middle East particularly Afghanistan.

A political analyst friend of mine out of Washington DC told me that Republicans may be in for a disaster, and a Democrat will most likely become the next US president. At the forefront is former First Lady and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton with double-digit leads over closest rival Barack Obama, with John Edwards trailing behind. Ironically, Hillary also holds the record for having the highest negatives according to Gallup Poll results - a fact that crafty political spinmeister Karl Rove hammered on at recent Hillary-bashing media interviews. Yet he seems to endorse her by acknowledging that she would most probably top the Democratic ticket, making analysts theorize that Rove is up to his old reverse-psychology tactics again by focusing the attention on Clinton since the Republicans are in reality more afraid of Barack Obama.

Obama however is hindered by the perception that he is an elitist and may not be “black enough.” He is Harvard educated, upwardly mobile and is adored by white liberals - making lower end blacks regard him with suspicion. It hasn’t helped either that in his glad-handing sorties, Obama committed a number of faux pas, the latest of which is being touted “the arugula factor” - asking an Iowa farmer about the price of “arugula” in a place where the fancy lettuce is virtually unheard of. He also received a lot of flak for saying he would meet with rogue leaders and that he would authorize an attack on Pakistan even without that country’s permission to get the al-Qaida - which provided an opening for Hillary to picture him as inexperienced about foreign policy.

The same analyst said America may not be ready for a black president, and unless something dramatic happens between now and Nov. 2008, it looks like Hillary will be the next occupant of the White House and the first female president of the United States - something which the Philippines has experienced twice over.


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E-mail: babeseyeview@yahoo.com