The World Welcomes Obama's Victory

A Log Of Reactions From Around The Globe To Barack Obama's Election Win

(CBS/AP) 
IRAQ:

The Troops: Breakfasting this morning with American soldiers of the 3rd and 4th infantry divisions at Forward Operating Base Falcon in south Baghdad, the feeling CBS News Baghdad bureau chief Larry Doyle got was overwhelmingly: "It's the economy, stupid." A year ago the chatter would certainly have been about how the war was going. Today, almost to a man and woman, they said economic issues were their main concern. Military rules don't allow them to go too deeply into politics while in uniform, and we weren't allowed to ask for whom they voted but, but it didn't take an Einstein to dissect their comments to get the drift that Obama's win was more popular among the enlisted folks than the officers.

The Iraqis: In a place where the American presidency should mean plenty, it was pretty much just another day. Iraqi reaction to Barack Obama's victory appears somewhat muted. The government spokesman issued a short statement of congratulations which also said Baghdad looks forward to working with the president-elect to achieve security and stability. Equally low-key was the Foreign Minister, saying he didn't foresee "hasty" changes in U.S. policy. "Wait-and-see" appears a fair summation of official comment.

On TV, there is certainly no excess of coverage. No special reports, no flashy graphics, no breathless pundits. Iraqis in the streets of Baghdad were really wait-and-see in their attitudes. A lot of them seemed to welcome the change, but weren't really sure what this would mean to them. We came away with the impression that there was a lot of weariness after five-and-a-half years of war and that change just for change's sake was okay by them. Oddly, a great many thought, "election yesterday, president today." Very few understood they won't feel even a breeze of change until mid-January.

JERUSALEM:

Palestinian Hopes, Israeli Fears: Both Israeli and Palestinian officials congratulated Barack Obama on his election victory, but CBS News correspondent Robert Berger reports their public comments were noticeably different.

"Israel expects the close strategic cooperation with the new administration, president and Congress will continue along with the continued strengthening of the special and unshakeable relationship between the two countries," said Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

"We hope the president-elect ... would continue the U.S. engagement in the peace process without delay," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. "We hope the two-state vision would be transferred from a vision to a realistic track immediately."

The Palestinians clearly welcome Obama's election more than Israel. They felt the Bush administration was far too pro-Israel and only began pushing for Palestinian statehood when it was too late. Of course, there are many skeptics among the Palestinians, and Arabs at large, who figure that any U.S. Congress and administration will be too pro-Israel to deliver Mideast peace.

Israel's biggest fear is Obama's intention to negotiate with Iran. Many Israelis believe Iran will use those talks to buy time until one day it tests an atomic bomb. As right-wing parliamentarian Arieh Eldad put it: "Israel should know that from now on it is facing the Iranian nuclear threat on its own because Obama wants to talk to Iran and has already accepted a nuclear Iran." That raises the prospect of an Israeli pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

PAKISTAN:

Pakistan's involvement in the U.S.-led war on terror has split the country more than any other policy pursued in its 61-year history, reports CBS News' Farhan Bokhari. "At least we see the end of Bush and that means an end to Bushism, or what President Bush represented as the ultimate example of being hawkish," said college student Saeed Malik as he watched the results.

Never before has a U.S. election been followed in Pakistan as closely. More than two months after Bush's close ally President Musharraf was forced to resign, many Pakistanis see Bush's departure as the end of an era. "Maybe we can now see some new way to reinterpret how we are going to fight this war on terror which has so split our country" said Umar Jan, a fruit seller in Lahore's upper class Liberty market.

For top Pakistani officials who immediately welcomed the Obama victory and formally offered to work with a new U.S. administration, the choice for the future is far from easy. For the Obama administration, too, a policy towards Pakistan will essentially mean walking a very fine line between keeping a key ally on board to continue its crucial support in the war in Afghanistan, while firmly working to cut off any support to al Qaeda or the Taliban operating from Pakistani soil.

The Pakistanis have been angered by U.S. missile strikes in the Afghan-Pakistan border area, and the threat of new ground incursions. Yesterday, Pakistan's Prime Minister had a rather more pointed message, delivered to Gen. David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command: "If he doesn’t respect the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan, and if he doesn’t change his policies towards Pakistan, anti-America and anti-West sentiments will be there."

Is there another way to deal with militancy? "Yes, there is," answered Usman Nazeer, a college teacher. "You have to talk to these militants. You have to demonstrate to them that whoever lays down their arms can be brought into the mainstream. You can't just kill, kill, kill."

JIHADI BLOGOSPHERE / THE INTERNET:

What The Extremists Are Saying? There has been no reaction yet to Obama’s victory from any of the more prominent extremist Muslim leaders, reports CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer, but the radical blogosphere is hoping for a statement soon from al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

On the most influential Islamist Web sites over the past few weeks, discussion of the U.S. election has been sporadic and unsophisticated. The reaction to Obama’s win was similarly crude, including:

The simply preposterous: Blogger “Al-Hakim” wrote on the well-known Alhesbah site that, ”America elected Obama because al Qaeda decided so, the same way Bush was elected in 2004 - also because al Qaeda had decided so.”

The skeptical: Obama is unlikely to bring about any real change, wrote one blogger on the “Nasr Lil Islam” (Victory For Islam) site. “Don’t get too excited. Obama is nothing but a pair of "black gloves" that the Americans will use to strike against Muslims.”

The Disappointed: A blogger calling himself "Big problem2" on the “Ansar al-Mujahideen” (Supporters of the Mujahideen) chat room on Paltalk said, "Sadly, Obama won. I really hoped he’d lose. He’s much smarter than McCain and we wanted the dumb guy. Anyway. It’s god’s will and whatever God decides must happen. Another contributor questioned the post, asking why "Big Problem2" had been rooting for McCain. "Obama is smart. He will know how to pull America out of the Iraqi quagmire," came the response.

Finally - a glimmer of conciliation: One blogger, going by the name “Ansar Allah,” predicted that Obama’s win could wind down the ideological war. “Now that Obama has won the vote” he wrote, “I think it’s time to declare a truce.”

IRAN:

Iran is heralding the result of the U.S. elections as a defeat of President Bush's policies. CBS News' Leily Lankarani reports that Dr. Haddad Adel, the former speaker of Parliament (and now the head of Parliamentary Committee for Culture), said, "Obama entered the race with this slogan, 'We need Change,' and his victory is the admission of the American people about the defeat of Bush's policies in the world. The president of the U.S. has to retreat from Bush's policies which would be to the benefit of the Americans and people around the world."

Iran's Fars news agency, which is close to the country's conservatives, announced Obama's victory with this headline: "The Era of Bush is Over." Tellingly, it did not mention Obama.

Though he wasn't named, Iran's military also issued a warning for America's next leader (and Mr. Bush - for a couple more months). The Iranian Armed Forces Headquarters released a statement: "Recently it has been noticed that the U.S. Army Helicopters fly close to borders of Iraq with Islamic Republic of Iran and because of the twisting border lines there is danger of violation of the borders of the I.R.I. Therefore, I.R.I. Border Defence Forces would reply to any violation." The warning ends with this sentence: "They are warned to change the route of their helicopters to a safe distance to avoid any danger of ambiguities."

Head of the Cultural and Publicity office of the Armed Forces, Masoud Jazaeri, told Iranian media, "I hope that the new U.S. President acts more rationally and, instead of relying on viciousness and atrocity, looks for peaceful ways."

SOUTH AFRICA:

The following is the entire body of a letter sent from iconic South African leader Nelson Mandela to Obama:

"Dear Senator Obama,
"We join people in your country and around the world in congratulating you on becoming the President-Elect of the United States. Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place. We note and applaud your commitment to supporting the cause of peace and security around the world. We trust that you will also make it the mission of your Presidency to combat the scourge of poverty and disease everywhere. We wish you strength and fortitude in the challenging days and years that lie ahead. We are sure you will ultimately achieve your dream making the United States of America a full partner in a community of nations committed to peace and prosperity for all.
"Sincerely, N R Mandela"

KENYA:

Obama's relatives, on his father's side, came streaming out of their house to cheer as Senator McCain conceded. "We will see Obama in the White House," they sang. "We are going to the White House." Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki declared Thursday a public holiday so that Kenyans can celebrate "the historic achievement by Senator Obama and our country."

Freelance journalist Robert Crilly spent the night in the village of Kogelo, in rural western Kenya, watching the election coverage on two TVs powered by generators with Obama's relatives, including the President-elect's half-brother, Abongo Malik Obama. For the folks in Kogelo, it wasn't a matter of whether Obama would win, just when they could start celebrating. Now they've got their own hopes pinned to the future American leader.

To hear audio of Crilly speaking to CBS News from Kogelo, click here. To read his article in The Times newspaper, click here.

While many at the grassroots level believe Kenya will benefit from Obama's win, Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been quick to warn that while people may come here out of curiosity, to see Obama's Kenyan roots, that to expect vast amounts of investment, aid or just cash is not realistic, reports CBS News's Katherine Arms.

As voices cheered and kids rejoiced, in one Nairobi suburb Arms saw the grim reality of crime in this region hit with a thud. "As I dropped my child off at primary school, I was in the classroom when my driver, monitoring local radio stations for me, sent me a text message saying President Kibaki had declared Thursday a public holiday. I told the kids in the class who cheered. We all heard cracking noises coming from the road and thought fireworks were going off. Seconds later my driver called. I stepped out of the classroom to answer and he said, "Katherine, don't come out. There is a shootout out here. A carjacking." I hung up and ran toward the school office telling people to stay put. I found the headmaster and blurted out there was a carjacking at the gate ... everyone moved fast. Within seconds the headmaster and his assistant alerted all of the children and parents to go into classrooms. The headmaster and I and several others moved to the gate to check on what had happened. My driver had witnessed the shootout and had seen the suspects get away. An innocent driver was shot dead, the carjackers took off with their stolen vehicle. Another day in Nairobi... one that was meant to be so joyous."

[eroosevelt08]

It is my hope that President-Elect Obama will look back on his presidency satisfied that he did the best he could. It was an honor to vote for him.

[rcgreene1]

CBSisPravda has missed the point entirely. Not only is there a new president, but a new score card. Beating up on countries is no longer a top priority. Behaving responsibly in the world is. Being king of the hill is no longer a priority. Promoting peace and a right-relationship among sovereign nations is. Saving the old unregulated profiteering economic system is bad. Finding a way to save the millions of people whose lives have been hurt and in many cases demolished by irresponsible banking practices is finally at the top of the list. Reducing government and lowering taxes -- always important to those who continually seek unnecessary wealth and the regulation-free environment that makes it easier -- are objectives that pander to the un-informed. The shallow economic and political thinking in post-WWII America, and especially the massive, foolhardy military tactics of the Bush administration have now saddled the American people with huge debt and a desperate plea from those who are being raped by the predator corporate culture that demands extraordinary effort and resources that must be coordinated at the federal level. The priority is to save America, not to reduce taxes and help out the very people who have profited from irresponsible practices.

And you can be sure the Democrats -- and quite a few Republicans as well -- are ready to meet the challenge.

[objectivist3]

It pains me (an Obama supporter) to see that while John McCain gave a classy speech urging all of us to reunite, many of the comments I read remain hateful and partisan. (Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a monopoly on nasty comments, of course.) Sometimes platitudes are correct: we are all in the same boat, and sink or swim together. Please, can''t we try to think of solutions to our problems and stop the hate-mongering, no matter who or what is the target?

[objectivist3]

It pains me (an Obama supporter) to see that while John McCain gave a classy speech urging all of us to reunite, many of the comments I read remain hateful and partisan. (Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a monopoly on nasty comments, of course.) Sometimes platitudes are correct: we are all in the same boat, and sink or swim together. Please, can''t we try to think of solutions to our problems and stop the hate-mongering, no matter who or what is the target?

[objectivist3]

It pains me (an Obama supporter) to see that while John McCain gave a classy speech urging all of us to reunite, many of the comments I read remain hateful and partisan. (Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a monopoly on nasty comments, of course.) Sometimes platitudes are correct: we are all in the same boat, and sink or swim together. Please, can''t we try to think of solutions to our problems and stop the hate-mongering, no matter who or what is the target?

[objectivist3]

It pains me (an Obama supporter) to see that while John McCain gave a classy speech urging all of us to reunite, many of the comments I read remain hateful and partisan. (Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a monopoly on nasty comments, of course.) Sometimes platitudes are correct: we are all in the same boat, and sink or swim together. Please, can''t we try to think of solutions to our problems and stop the hate-mongering, no matter who or what is the target?

[newmark3]

For everyone who keeps looking at a AFRICAN AMERICAN who is the next PRESIDENT REMEMBER AFRICANS were stole and bought to this country and treated less than animals. BUT THEY WERE THE ONES THAT BUILT AMERICA. Hello now GOD is saying that we need to get and AFRICAN AMERCIAN to lead to rebuild what the Bush Administration has torn down in the last 8 years. EVIL EVIL DEMONIC IGNORANT people can''t see that because all you see is colr. get over it. SATAN.

[dimhumb]

Yesterday we took a huge stride in returning from the brink of joining the pantheon of failed militaristic regimes. We must take steps to insure that we do not allow ourselves to come so close the edge again.

Posted by KMar20009 at 07:53 AM : Nov 05, 2008

That perspective has been exactly what it seemed like from abroad. Now I can get back to my keen interest in learning English and your literature feeling relief. Thank you for putting an end to Bush''s policies. I love America too. Ja ljublju Ameriku tozhe!

[pakaal]

""Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that."
-Sen. John McCain, November 4, 2008

[zietzke-2009]

Electing an African American or a woman could have signified the beginning of a new America. Instead it signifies the end.


Posted by Neo269

Some good points.......But, Look at what the GOP DID TO AMERICA over the last 8 years !!

1) Started a war based on a lie.
2) Destroyed the economy
3) Illegal wire tapping of U.S. citizens
4) Shreaded the U.S. constitution
5) Patriot Act.
6) No bid contracts for Halliburton
7) $ 700 Billion USD Bail out for Wall Street
8) Massive U.S. job losses
9) Massive U.S. job outsourcing
10) Gitmo, Torture, Geneva Convention Trashed
11) Mission Accomplished ?
12) Over 4000 American troops KIA, Over 150 Innocent Iraq citizens killed.
13) Americas reputation around the world destroyed.
14) The cost of the Iraq war is $ 1 trillion and counting. A burden that will be passed on to our children.

The American people had had enough....Our country was on a collision course with destruction under Bush.

Bush''s NEW WORLD ORDER WAS MAKING THE WORLD A DIVIDED AND VERY DANGEROUS PLACE. America has spoken, they want a new direction. Under the new President, the promise of a new and better life is just beginning.