At no other time in recent history has the reputation of the United States reached rock-bottom levels as it has during these waning days of George W. Bush in the White House, because of his administration's failed foreign policies and the country's near economic collapse.

U.S. Republican Senator John McCain appeared desperate in the final debate Wednesday night with his Democratic rival in the upcoming presidential election, Senator Barack Obama, whose lead in the polls has been growing and his self-confidence radiant.

We are disturbed by the degree to which "Arab" has become the metaphorical mud to sling against your opponent. Last week, for example, the Republican Jewish Coalition released a document in which they use the term Pro-Arab as a pejorative accusation. For his part, Rush Limbaugh has joined in by declaring that Obama is in fact an Arab American. Then, last Friday, after a supporter called Senator Barack Obama "an Arab," Senator John McCain came to the defense of his political opponent by saying, "No, ma'am. He's a decent family man and citizen...."

With his characteristic clear-sightedness and knowledge of history, General Charles de Gaulle used to say that "one should not insult the future." He also believed that simple ideas were needed to address "the complicated Middle East." In the immediate future two important events will have an influence on the situation in the Middle East: the change of prime minister in Israel and the U.S. presidential elections in the United States.

Last month's five-day war in Georgia, a tiny neighbor of Russia and Turkey, rekindled memories of the beautiful American ballad, "Georgia on My Mind," which was written in 1930 and became a famous hit only in 1960 when the popular blind American singer, Ray Charles, introduced it nationwide.

The Arab American community hopes to make its voice heard -- and to make a difference in the American political landscape -- in the presidential elections this coming November.

In less than 100 days a new American president will be elected, and most likely he will be Barack Obama, the first African-American to attain that position provided he maintains his current solid lead in the opinion polls. The gifted and articulate one-time senator has won the hearts of many in the United States and Europe, as evidenced during his recent overseas trip to Europe, and his remarkable speech in Berlin which was attended by some 200,000 Germans and others.

AMMAN -- The high-profile visit by Democratic presidential frontrunner Senator Barack Obama to the Middle East this week seems to have constituted a reality check that regardless of the changes Obama might bring to America if he takes over the White House, U.S. policy in the region will remain unchanged.

All eyes have been on the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee, Barack Obama, during his current Middle Eastern and European tour this week, but whoever expects new revelations from the popular American politician is bound to be disappointed.

AMMAN -- On his first visit to the volatile Middle East as the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama sought to sell his pledge to directly engage in a peace process, should he become president, but his 36-hour stop in Israel – with a little time in the West Bank – appeared more of a campaign attempt to win over Jewish votes back in the United States.