Octavia Nasr
CNN Arab Affairs Editor

In the Arab world, media headlines, editorials and commentaries continue to be very supportive of the U.S. for electing Barack Obama as president. Even the most conservative media, those with known anti-western slant, are sounding positive and offering congratulations.

At the London-based pro-Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, an editorial reads, “It is too soon to judge Barack Obama’s ability to handle the economic crisis and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he has already defeated America’s two most powerful institutions, the Clintons and the conservative right wing… He therefore might be able to handle these explosive dossiers if granted the opportunity…” The editorial continued, “Barack Obama will enter history with his competence, abilities, patience and wisdom… We therefore congratulate him for this great success and congratulate the American people for having chosen change.”

In Saudi Arabia’s pro-government Okaz newspaper, Khalaf al-Harbi wrote, “We cannot hide our admiration for the invigorating American spirit that is not blinded by might or corrupted by supremacy. The United States proves one more time that it is always capable of reinventing itself and staying ahead of other countries that cannot show the same degree of dedication and loyalty to their professed principles.”

From Kuwait’s Al-Rai Al-Am, Jaafar Rajab reflected on the Arab tradition of accepting one’s fate instead of reaching for the dream. He wrote, “Nations make their history while we continue to make a history of quicksand!” He then added, “People who know how to read, read the past but live for the future, while people who read the bottom of their coffee cups live in the past!”

The Saudi-owned London-based newspaper Al-Hayat wondered (not really) where al Qaeda is as history is being made. Editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel wrote, “I have no clue whether bin Laden was up all night in his bunker waiting for the results of the US elections. I have no idea what he might have felt when the son of an African immigrant won the people’s trust to run the top executive job. What did bin Laden think when Obama spoke directly to his people appealing to their minds, feelings and imaginations; inspiring them to resume their dreams and to regain confidence in their ability to change policies and build their futures.”

Charbel explained that Obama’s inspirational qualities are the opposite of bin Laden’s violent and oppressive methods. He then concluded that perhaps what Barack Obama and the US achieved on 11/04/08 is the perfect “attack” against Osama bin Laden and his terrorists’ attacks in New York and Washington in 09/11/01. Charbel described bin Laden as a loser who “has every reason to be upset” right now. The fact that no one has heard from the al Qaeda leader of late is the proof, “He could not be a voter in the US elections. He could not deliver an astounding blow to the land that he had shaken seven years earlier. He could not target any American interests overseas. He failed to send out a message threatening Americans and promising them more attacks.”