News flash: Arab columnists savvier than American columnists

Posted By Daniel W. Drezner Thursday, July 10, 2008 - 5:06 PM Share

Josie Delap and Robert Lane Greene have a smart, short essay in TNR Online that looks aqt how the Arab commetariat is reacting to the Obama phenomenon. The takeaway paragraph:

Most Arab columnists writing about Obama have concluded that the exigencies of American politics undermine any efforts by politicians to change the country's foreign policy in the region....

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EXPLORE:U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, MCCAIN, MIDDLE EAST, OBAMA, SOFT POWER

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US GRANT

2:11 PM ET

July 11, 2008

Yes, it must be a real drag

Yes, it must be a real drag for people to have to deal with their own problems. And they are self-proclaimed "losers" because they have to solve their own problems? Americans are electing their president, not Santa Claus...

DAN

5:08 AM ET

July 15, 2008

I'm an American student

I'm an American student studying in Cairo, Egypt for the summer and every once in awhile I ask Egyptians what they think about Barack Obama. Much to my dismay, after asking around 20+ Egyptians, I have gotten nothing but exactly what Alhomayed wrote--American policy is dictated by forces outside of American politics; that the President is just a spokesman. And here I was, thinking that they would at least share my excitement.