Arabs watch US race to bitter end

By Sebastian Usher
BBC world media correspondent

The intense interest in the election in the Middle East has been reflected in the continuous coverage provided by Arab satellite TV stations like al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya.

As well as following every twist and turn of the election drama, they focused in particular on what a win for either candidate might mean for the Middle East.

Arabic networks have poured resources into covering the race

It is a question the Arab press has also been addressing - with several editorials seeing little to choose between President Bush and John Kerry.

With its panoply of correspondents, analysts and state-of-the art graphics, al-Jazeera has endeavoured to provide its millions of Arab viewers with the fullest picture of what has been going on in the US election.

In tandem with its main rival, al-Arabiya, it has examined most of the issues at stake in exhaustive detail.

Al-Arabiya has been leading its coverage with the slogan "George Bush or John Kerry? The result will affect us all."

The station has asked its viewers to phone in their vote as if they were actively participating in the election.

To help them decide, it has run lengthy pieces on both candidates.

'Obstinacy and oppression'

It is the potential impact of the election on the Middle East that Arab-language TV stations have returned to again and again, quizzing American and British - as well as Arab - analysts on the implications.

The Arab press has found little to please it in Kerry's pronouncements on the Middle East

The Lebanese channel, LBC, interviewed several leading Arab political figures, including the head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, on how they perceived the election.

LBC also asked ordinary people in the Lebanese capital who they wanted to win.

"For me it doesn't matter. What matters is who will do something for our countries," said one sceptical Beiruti.

"Who are they? Let me ask you this question - what will either of them offer?" said another.

"I'll tell you: nothing but more obstinacy, more oppression, more killing, more crimes and more support for Israel, dictatorships and the killing of people at the hands of their masked men in Iraq - whom they both support - Kerry and Bush."

The invasion of Iraq and what is seen as his pro-Israeli stance have turned many Arabs against President George W Bush. But support for his rival has been half-hearted.

Breathing space

The Arab press has been lukewarm, too - finding little to please it in John Kerry's pronouncements on the Middle East.

But some papers have given him guarded backing, including the influential pan-Arab paper al-Hayat.

It says, if elected, Mr Kerry may not turn out to be the world's saviour from the hardline conservatives around President Bush - but at least his election would provide a breathing space.

But other papers, like London-based al-Quds al-Arabi, dismiss both candidates.

Whatever the result, Arabs have at least had a front-row seat at this election - thanks to the extraordinary growth in Arab-language satellite TV stations.