I remember the unfounded and unbridled enthusiasm and optimism here in the Gulf when Obama was elected. There are people, literally, from the entire world living here. From Gulf and non-Gulf Arabs, Europeans, East, Southeast and Southwestern Asians, Africans, Americans (all of the Americas) and everyone else, he was the messiah. I guess most figured he had to be better than Bush. But it was the belief that Obama would usher in, basically, a new world order. That things in the Middle East and Afghanistan would be addressed and fixed. That the world would have their faith in the US restored by a more peaceful and respectful approach to the world by the US. I tried to explain to people that the US system just didn't work that way, but no one listened, including many Americans I know.
After Obama's "line in the sand" failure, most of the Arabs realized that he was useless to them. After his approach and concessions to the Iranians, the Arabs began to fear for their future. Whatever any Westerners believe, the Arabs see the rise of Iranian influence in the region as an existential threat, and rightly so. Just like most Americans are decent people who only want to live in peace and prosperity, so goes the Arab world, as well as the rest. Eventually, most of the people here came to realize that, in line with their expectations in 2008, Obama was a failure.
As Americans should know, there are 3 groups of presidents that fit a bell curve. The upper group are the small handful that had a long-term and positive effect on their times and the future. The lower group were just useless and perhaps even harmful, but certainly useless to the future, other than as cautionary warnings. The vast majority are in the middle and they were adequate caretakers of the nation, which is just fine. I believe that in 50 years from now Obama will be seen in the small grouping of "bad" presidents, one who left things in worse shape than when he began, one who didn't take advantage of events, one who was ineffectual in virtually every aspect during his terms and in some cases, even harmful.
It was with deja vu, a certain amount of bemusement and exasperated resignation, that I watched the unfounded and unbridled dismay, concern and even fear that the people here expressed with the election of Trump. Many felt that it was the worst thing to happen in the US since they don't know when. However, most of the Arabs felt that he had to be better than Obama and from their perspective he very well might be. Time will tell. One thing for certain is that people aren't going to change very much. We like division and distinctions among ourselves, even in the smallest of groupings. We don't like other's opinions and we basically fear change and each other. If we truly were a rational and logical, we would not be repeating the same behavior and mistakes time and time again.
We have met the enemy and he is us.
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BAM 
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BAM
