Trump ‘understands Iran for what it is,’ might serve Arab interests better
Experts analyze Arab News/ YouGov poll of Arab opinions at online event; conclude Palestinians ‘want help’ from US
It is no surprise that most Arabs would want a Biden presidency to distance itself from the string of failures in the Middle East presided over by the Obama administration, Ali Khedery, a former US State Department official in Iraq, told an online audience on Friday.
“Overall, I’d give the ObamaBiden policy an ‘F’ in the region,” he said. “I’m not surprised a majority of Arabs want Biden to distance himself from Obama’s legacy.” Although he personally favors challenger Joe Biden in the presidential race, Khedery believes the reelection of Donald Trump might serve the interests of Arabs better, because Trump “understands Iran for what it is.”
Khedery, who worked for the State Department in Iraq between 2003 and 2009 was speaking on Friday during an online discussion of the recent opinion poll conducted by Arab News and British polling firm YouGov.
It asked more than 3,000 Arabs in 18 countries in the Middle East for their views on the presidential election, the candidates and their policies. The results offered some much-needed clarity about the thoughts and opinions of the Arab people.
During the online event, which was hosted by Arab News and moderated by the newspaper’s Editor in Chief, Faisal J. Abbas, experts from the Middle East and the US analyzed and discussed the results.
The Palestinian question is a highly divisive issue worldwide, and the poll found that Arabs, too, are divided in their opinions. It revealed that a majority of Palestinian respondents are in favor of American mediation of the IsraelPalestinian conflict. Robert Ford, a former US ambassador to Syria, said this is a clear sign of pragmatism. “They want help,” he added. “They want American leverage.”
The topics covered in the poll included whether respondents would prefer Trump or Biden to triumph in this week’s election, the future role of the US in the Middle East, the Palestinian question, and the stance Washington should take on Iran.