FWIW.  They don’t get to vote, of course, but it’s interesting to see how the country that Barack Obama would have abandoned two years ago reacts to the idea of him leading the nation that liberated Iraq.  Unsurprisingly, most of those interviewed worried that Obama wouldn’t be able to stand up to the dimunitive genocidal lunatic to their east:

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. …

“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.

The Iraqis apparently understand global and regional politics better than Barack Obama. They certainly understand military strategy and tactics better than Obama.  They understand best of all what would have happened if Bush had followed Obama’s advice in 2007 rather than fighting the terrorists and securing Iraq.

I’m surprised that Agence France-Presse reported this story, though.  Don’t they understand Hope and Change in French?