From Beirut, Chawki Freiha reports* on a provocative editorial that appeared in the Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper on November 3 written by Abdelbari Atwan, the first journalist to have met with Osama bin Laden. Titled “Obama’s Historic Intifada,” Atwan praises the probable election of Barack Obama to the White House and claims that with Obama installed in Washington, Islam will be able to “impose its point of view” on the world.

As to be expected, Atwan’s editorial decries the Bush administration because it is “controlled by Zionists… whose objective is to destroy the Arab world and Islam.” Displaying true Muslim conspiratorial thinking, Atwan further claims that all Middle Eastern countries have been under the control Israel, even though the Arabs have the “largest wealth” in the world in petrodollars.

The most alarming part of Atwan’s editorial, however, is that he imagines that with a President Obama in office, Islam will be able to use its oil wealth to control the world.

We have the largest wealth and could save the world from the crisis. If these resources are properly harnessed, we could impose our point of view and serve our cause… The conditions are now fulfilled for the Arabs use their wealth to obtain a U.S. promise favorable and correct historical mistakes committed in Palestine.

Atwan is merely echoing the feeling in the Mid East that a Barack Obama will look upon them with favor or will be so weak that he will not be able to stop Islam from “imposing” its “point of view” upon the world.

If Joe Biden is right that a new president Obama will be “tested in the first 60 days” of his term, it seems as if certain forces in the Mid East are poised to do just that. But, it is obvious that many in the Mid East imagine Obama stands in agreement with their goals in the first place.

A president Obama is no friend to Israel or the west, at least as far as Abdelbari Atwan and many of his comrades are concerned.

The most pressing question that Americans have is: should we support a man for President of the United States that our enemies imagine to be on their side?

*Original report is in French.

(Photo of Abdelbari Atwan courtesy of www.tlaxcala.es)