California State University Professor As'ad Abu Khalil: No Difference Between Bush and Kerry on Middle East Issues

California State University professor As'ad Abu Khalilwas interviewed by the Arabic-language Iranian channel Al-'Alam TV, and talked about the upcoming US elections. The following are excerpts:

Professor Abu Khalil: The active circles in the Palestinian Authority are trying to persuade the Arab people that all the problems caused by the American administration are the result of four or five neo-conservatives in the American administration and if we get rid of them the situation will be excellent. However, I say that decision-making in American foreign policy is done by more than just one group. There is, of course, the neo-conservative group, but there is another group which is more important and that is the Christian fundamentalists - the Christian Taliban, which is influential in the US, to which the American president belongs...

The nature of the American empire may change under John Kerry, but we shouldn't do what some PLO representatives in Western capitals did, when they opened champagne bottles when the Labor party replaced the Likud. In the Palestinian issue and other issues that are important to the Arab and Islamic nations, there will not be a change that will greatly benefit us.

One must judge John Kerry according to his words, trends, and intentions. For example, in the Iraqi issue, he says that he disagrees with the American president, over what? He will send additional forces to Iraq. He says, "We must use more effective power against the Iraqi resistance." This is the candidate running against George Bush. The same goes for the issue of the Arab - Israeli conflict. He completely adopts? Many commentators in the US have noted that there is no difference? That there are differences between the candidates, in all matters but the Arab ? Israeli conflict. On this, they agree on all the details.