A New Hope

Today there is a new hope in the American and international politics. Notwithstanding the relentless efforts of the empire of established interests in the US, headed by Sen. Clinton and her clan, Sen. Obama has made it through to become the Democratic Party nominee for president of the USA in the coming elections this November. And these efforts were fierce and foul. Nothing was spared - from cheap tears to soppy, fear mongering advertising. Every strand of possibility to tarnish the first Black candidate for president of the USA was tried. But through sheer competence and superb profesionalism, Sen. Obama has prevailed. Today the international world can take a pause and ponder tomorrow. The American presidential race has not joined the dark side.

Yet there is a disturbance in the force of change. Last night, Sen. Obama delivered an astonishing speech to AIPAC. In an obvious bid for support from an extraordinarily influential lobby group, the senator who had ridden in on the ticket of no pandering to the lobbyists, did just that: He pandered most pathetically to every cliche of the AIPAC agenda. In the most absolutist terms Sen. Obama underwrote unquestionable alliance with one of the most unjust regimes in the world: The state of Israel. In a shattering display of inconsistency and paradox, he proclaimed in the same breath a willingness for firm diplomacy with Iran and yet declared Jerusalem the undivided capital of Israel,immidiately alienating millions of potentially agreeable Arabs and Palestinians in particular. Perhaps he was already repaying the one lobby group that did provide him the final push beyond the reach of Sen. Clinton, behind the scenes of course.

What credibility as a peacemaker he had built up over his campaign thus far, was thoroughly shaken by last night's unfortunate speech. It leaves one wondering how many other lobby groups may stand in line now for some acknowledgement plus some more. It will seem that the forces of the dark side are indeed powerful. Perhaps the young knight of the new hope is not quite the prince of peace for whom we have waited. But then, he still has much to learn and may yet shine.