When You Vote Today...

... Here is something to consider.

Al-Qaeda endorses Barack Obama.

Dubai, 3 Nov. (AKI) - Americans will on Tuesday elect Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama the next United States president to save their country from its current economic and foreign policy crisis, according to a message posted to Al-Qaeda linked websites, notably Al-Hesbah. "They will vote Barack Obama the first black president of the United States to save themselves from the economic and military crisis that is engulfing them," said the statement signed by 'Lion of Jihad 2, The Electronic Jihad Brigades'.

The Electronic Jihad Brigades is a signature that often accompanies jihadist propaganda videos posted to the Internet. The message from 'Lion of Jihad 2' was posted to a section of Al-Hesbah reserved for 'official' jihadist statements.

"The election of a black man to the White House is no fluke but follows the swingeing blows inflicted by Al-Qaeda in attacks such as 11 September (2001)," the message states.

"The United States is currently going through one of its most difficult periods and Americans want to re-group. The ruling class is tired of the crisis and want to curb the country's divisions and the tensions between whites and blacks."

Blacks have great expectations for Obama, and view his victory as "a liberation from abuse and tyranny," said the message.

"It makes no difference if a Democrat wins. When Bill Clinton was president, he waged more attacks in Somalia, Kosovo and Bosnia , Sudan and Afghanistan and Iraq than Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George Bush," said the message, referring to other former US presidents before Clinton.

Conversely, Iraqi civilians want McCain in the White House: 

For five years Ali and Mohammed have lived alongside US soldiers in their Baghdad neighbourhood near Rasheed Street, a prominent commercial artery running through the heart of the Iraqi capital.

During that time American culture and politics have become familiar to them, and they say that if they could, they would vote for Republican candidate John McCain in next week's US presidential election.

"McCain would be best for Iraq because he would ensure stability," said Ali, 66, an expert on the Sumerian era.

The personal qualities and political platforms of McCain and his Democrat rival Barack Obama are of little import to Ali, however. His focus is on Iraq and its neighbours such as Iran.

"The Iranians believe that if Obama is elected he will not take action against them despite their nuclear ambitions. That worries me," said Ali, sitting on an old bench in Al-Zahawi coffee shop.

"If the Iranians get the bomb they will become the Tarzan of the region," said the former teacher and lecturer at the University of Baghdad, referring to the vine-swinging strongman of the jungle in old Hollywood movies.

Mohammed, also a professor at the university, said he too preferred McCain "because Obama supports a rapid withdrawal of US troops."

"Our army is still too weak and Turkey and Iran are threats. Iran's President (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad has warned Iran would fill the void left when US troops depart," he said

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Iraqis prefer instead to rely on the latest issues of weekly news publications such as Time and Newsweek, said government official Whamith Shadhan, who was browsing through second-hand books and magazines.

"I trust the Republicans more. They're more capable of establishing democracy in the world, especially in Arab countries," said the 33-year-old. "Obama is far too left."

Just something to think about.