I’m fascinated by the amount of angry messages and "Wall posts" I’m getting on my Facebook page from my friends these days after I announced that I’m supporting Hillary for president (for reasons that I do not wish to delve into now). Most of the angry messages came from my Jordanian/Arab friends who made sure to tell me that they do not agree with me. Here are some examples:
Come on now, she flip flops, she is owned by the Jewish lobby and she has a one sided view of the Arab Israeli conflict. She is no Bill.
Boooo…. Obama…Obama!
Why Hillary she is a devil wearing Prada…Because she is a woman ?!!
Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?
I am aware that Hillary is a pretty divisive choice but I never realized how much she is hated in the Arab World until now. I guess I have been away from the Middle East for a long time and now I’m no longer connected with the "Arab street." However, I’m not backing down. I’m someone who believes in the individual’s freedom of choice. By that I mean a choice that stands on its own that is not influenced by the preference of a community or society. I’m at a stage of my life where I no longer want to chant the same song with a familiar crowd. I want to chant my own song and make individual decisions. So for that I say, go Hillary.
dm
It HAS become that way due to the alignment that Hillary has chosen for herself upon becoming a senator in New York.
Natasha, I am with you on this one. I completely back Hillary for reasons I wish not to announce either. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and for their own reasons.
Actually to put it differnetly, its not Hillary that is hated in the Arab world, its Hillary that hates the Arab world.
I completely understand why you feel that way and why you are saying that, but from the messages I’ve read, it sounds like it goes both ways here.
Actually to put it differnetly, its not Hillary that is hated in the Arab world, its Hillary that hates the Arab world.
Hillary was viewed positively for a long time until she made her choice and instead of trying to be an honest broker (as possible as that is given the influence of the Jewish community) like Bill did, she chose to alient herself from many including the Palestinians.
It does not surprise me though that you would support her.
At the end of the day, the Jewish community will buy Obama as well (already started to).
Arabi
Well, I’m not part of the Arab Street, but still I wonder how you can support Hillary in spite of her consistent and unapologetic support for the invasion of and war in Iraq?
Here’s how I see her – four more years for the neocon and Big Business interests:
http://www.modspil.dk/politik/empire_strikes_back__the_invasion_of_the_booty_snatchers.html.
One quick point, though, in case you’re feeling put-upon: Senator Clinton has staked out some of the best territory in terms of domestic policy, such as on health care. To me, this is largely balanced by her conception of the presidency as primarily a legislative position rather than a bully pulpit and her assortment of advisers, of whom Mark Penn is the headliner, but I can understand the attraction some have for her candidacy.
George Bush seems to be more concerned and just about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than Hillary would be if she’s elected. Her policies twards the Middle East in general will likely be unfair and very biased.
Thank you Brian…very well said
From the standpoint of Middle Eastern issues, there’s no question Hillary Clinton is the worst candidate in the Democratic field. This comes in terms of both points of apparent conviction, such as the Iraq war and her support for Kyl-Lieberman, and for issues she has been willing to demagogue, such as Dubai Ports World and staking out a position to the right of Avigdor Lieberman on the Arab-Israeli peace process. She is, however, probably the most popular candidate here in Israel.
Personally, I like Hillary, but not enough to vote for her. My first choice would be Edwards, I like the dude for some reason. And here I don’t back that up with anything other than “Like”.
After Edwards, Hillary or Obama… same to me
It’s funny how everyone says the last-name of the candidates, except for Hillary, since her first name is distinguished enough. While her last name is laced with oval office cigars!
I once admired Hillary and thought that she would be a good leader.
That quickly changed when she so adamantly denounced Dubai’s DP World when they bought P&O, and with it the management of the US eastern seaboard ports. I lost all the respect for her that I had.
Her comments about the arab world were ignorant and uneducated. She and her cronies used the media to create fear and doubt, and they succeeded because Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum then made the decision to sell off the US entities in order to shut them up.
She also seemed to conveniently forget that her husband had earned many $$$s from speaking events in Dubai and had enormous respect for the UAE leaders.
However, if I was a voting American, I really wouldn’t know who to vote for. Obama would be a good choice if only he came across as a stronger man. But to me Hillary is outwardly dangerous.