Barak Obama is the most left-wing president since the Second World War and perhaps in the nation's history. Even though he supports the fundamentals of the system, he offers a more tolerant and inclusive image.The Republicans ignored ordinary people. Obama wants to include them. Normally the powers-that-be would prevent such a man from becoming president but the fact that he was elected shows their utter desperation. Even Republican rival John McCain acknowledged that Obama was restoring ordinary people�s faith in the system.
A liberal is what the ruling class needed. The fact that he is black is an added advantage.
Both at home and abroad, US imperialists are on the nose. In the US it is clear that free market methods are unable to raise the US out of recession. Big spending was necessary to save the capitalists. Obama has effectively nationalised General Motors. He has assured everyone that this is only an interim measure and that all will be back to normal as soon as the company is on sound footing. In no way is Obama really a socialist. Bush lost a lot of credibility with his refusal to assist New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
Needless to say, US imperialism is really on the nose in the Middle East. You can say that the US was successful in removing Saddam but the price of this has been to destroy the country. Everyone knows that Iraq is a disgusting mess and the US and its allies are to blame. The rationale for the invasion, the claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, has now been totally discredited. Obama has been committed to US withdrawal from Iraq, but he has done so with minimum inconvenience to imperialism�s war effort.
Bush�s �war on terror� not only failed, it has understandably been perceived as both a war on Arab people and the Muslim religion.
The recent address to the Arab world is one which he had to make --- for the sake of America�s interests. The US imperialist ruling class know that unless there is an olive branch offered, billions of dollars stand to be lost in investments, especially in oil.
Obama stressed that America was not at war with Islam and he quoted the Koran. This gained him the respect of many Muslims. He called for �a new beginning� after �years of distrust�. He said: �Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the stereotype of a self-interested empire�. That is not a stereotype. It is a fact. America has behaved like a �self interested empire�. We think it will continue to do so.
He restated his support for Israel saying that US had an unbreakable link with this reactionary racist state (indeed true!) but he also acknowledged that the Palestinians deserve a separate state.
Israeli prime minister Netanyahu hopes the speech will initiate a new acceptance of Israel within the Arab world.
Many Arabs were pleased with what they heard. But they want to see the practice, not merely the words. The fact is that the change Obama promises are different tactics for imperialism. At home and abroad he wants a more inclusive and co-operative approach. In no way does he challenge the fundamentals. In Palestine he opposes the settlers grabbing Palestinian land. He also opposes the way Israel behaved in Gaza.
US support for Israel was shown by his deputy Joe Biden assuring it it had the right to intervene against Iran�s nuclear weapons. This would be a massive disaster especially for the Iranians. He is also exposing the imperialist line that those who are pro-US are allowed nuclear weapons but those who oppose US interests don�t. We must oppose all imperialists including those with a human face. Obama is our enemy.
The Israeli court has just endorsed the right of Israelis to take over and occupy homes owned by Palestinians. The troops moved in and the Palestinians were turfed out of the homes they had lived in for generations. Obam's objections will be hollow. Israelis realise that he will do nothing, that they are free to dispossess with impunity.
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