The Hezbollah leader spoke about Obama's win yesterday
"Our Arab world, our Third World and our
African world can empathize with Obama because of his past or the color
of his skin, but politics and interests are a different story," he
said. "Don't exaggerate hopes nor give people high expectations so that
no one is disappointed or makes miscalculations," he added. "I don't
want to anticipate events, but logic dictates that we not bet on
changes in injustice or believe that he will be more lenient or less
unfair than his predecessor."
Interesting that he feels the need to acknowledge the raised hopes, rather than simply trash Obama outright. A small but perhaps promising sign. Although if the experience of white supremacists in the US is any guide, soon people like Nasrallah will simply portray Obama as an insidious puppet of the Jews.
Photo: Lebanese Hezbollah supporters listen to chief Hassan Nasrallah in a
televised speech during a commemoration of Hezbollah's Martyrs Day in
Beirut's southern suburb on November 11, 2008. (RAMZI HAIDAR/AFP/Getty Images)
--Michael Crowley