VARIOUS: Results from US midterm elections are closely followed around the world

The world watched closely on Wednesday (November 8) as US President George W. Bush's suffered a resounding defeat in the country's midterm elections. Yet there was little expectation of a change in US foreign policy. In Iraq, a government official said the results reflected mistakes made by the Republican administration in its Iraq policy. "The Republicans' mistakes in Iraq have a clear effect in their failure in the latest elections. It shows that the Americans have a specific strategy that will not be changed. Some mistakes can be reformed. The Republicans did not admit their mistakes in Iraq but the mistakes for the Democrats was pinpointed through the elections that have taken place and the elections campaigns in the United States of America," said Khudeir al-Zubaiei of the office of Iraq's deputy prime minister. One Iraqi citizen said he saw no difference between the Republicans or the Democrats, whom he said were carrying out the same imperialist policy. "Whether the Democrats or the Republicans win, America has one policy. It always has imperialistic plans that take priority. So, there is no difference: the Democrats and the Republicans, America has one policy," said Munther Kadhim, an Iraqi citizen. Riding to victory on a wave of public discontent over Iraq, Democrats swept Republicans from power in the U.S. House of Representatives and moved to the brink of control in the Senate, which would give them a hold on all of Congress. The United States has 150,000 U.S. troops suffering almost daily casualties in Iraq, where sectarian violence and a bloody insurgency have left many fearing the country is descending into civil war more than three years after the invasion. Bush, who has said he will consider changes in tactics but not strategy in Iraq, still has broad constitutional leeway in foreign affairs in the two years left in office. But Democratic control of the House means they will have more influence, increasing pressure for an exit strategy in Iraq. In Afghanistan, Afghan politicians were keen to see beneficial changes to U.S policy but called on the Democrats to keep supporting their war-torn country. Although many Afghans had little understanding of the intricacies of the US electoral process, some Afghans expressed unhappiness with current the current policy from Washington, feeling the US- backed government had not brought any changes to the lives of ordinary citizens. "Recently, the Bush policy was criticized in whole over the world, even in the United States, and I am sure he will lose in the future as he lost power in Congress. I should say this -- that while Democrats are taking power in their hands, there will not be much change concerning Afghanistan because every single American citizen seek their benefits, so the policy will be same," said Kabul resident Abdul Jabar. At the Afghan parliament, one politician appealed to the Democrats. "I call on the Democrats to help Afghans as they are winning in America. If they have any differences with President Bush policies, that is a different issue, but U.S policy about Afghanistan is very important not only for Afghans but to the whole world community. Here we have a terror problem, this problem is not affecting only Afghanistan, it will affect the whole world if they do not help us," said Noorzai Atmar, a woman member of parliament in Afghan lower house. The elections were also followed in Tel Aviv and the West Bank. Palestinian senior Fatah official Saeb Erekat said Palestinians were following the results closely since they could have an impact on U.S. policy in the MIddle East due to its leading role in the peace process. "Well, we follow the American elections because, you know, the United States is the main sponsor of the peace process, it leads the Quartet commission and we are watching very carefully these American elections as far as it reflects on the peace process and the Palestinian situation and so on," Erekat said. Israeli Deputy Premier Shimon Peres said the results may have an effect of foreign policy but he said he was certain the traditional bipartisan actions would be untouched. "America will remain united whatever the results of the elections are and usually on foreign affairs there is a tradition of bipartisan actions. I'm sure that the results will affect the policy but (inaudible) the policy itself will remain united. Thank you." Peres told Reuters Television. In Germany, many Berliners welcomed the Bush defeat. Ordinary Germans, asked at random about their thoughts on the U.S. mid-term elections, said they hoped for a change in President Bush's Iraq policy. European sympathy towards the United States has largely evaporated since an initial burst of solidarity following the September. 11, 2001 attacks, and Bush's administration is viewed with suspicion, if not downright hostility, in many countries. Christian Reschke said "George Bush is not that popular in Germany and it looks like the American people are becoming more reasonable." Berliner Zeitung newspaper asked its readers on the front page above a photograph of a smiling President and Mrs. Bush: "Is this what winners look like?" Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has told reporters that Germany "will of course continue to cooperate closely with the American government" following President George W. Bush's mid-term election defeat. "As far as I know right now there are no final results for the Senate yet," Steinmeier said. "There was a change of the majority in the House of Representatives. For the first time there will be a female House Speaker. Regarding the Senate majority we still have to wait and see." "Other than that, we will of course continue to cooperate closely with the American government and internally, the government with the new majority will certainly discuss with the House of Representatives how to proceed with domestic and foreign policy," Steinmeier said. Meanwhile, on the streets of Moscow, residents blamed the situation in Iraq and an aggressive U.S. foreign policy for the Bush defeat. "Of course, of course it (the war in Iraq) had an effect (on the vote outcome); any war works against the government, that's clear. Bush started the war, and now he has lost (at the ballot box)," said Olga Borisovna. Another resident expected worsening relations between Moscow and Washington.

ITN Source | November 8, 2006

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