On the bandwagon

I wasn't on the Obama bandwagon early. I'm still not really on it. His foreign policy in particular makes me very jittery: his naive assumption that Iraq can be fixed by 'forg[ing] a new coalition ... one that includes all of Iraq's neighbors.' I just don't think he understands the complexity of the Iranian relationship for example. And getting it wrong and pulling out is worse than getting it wrong and staying in (going in is a different matter). Elsewhere, I think he's too young and he is going to struggle with the almost Messianic expectations in an acute economic downturn.

Nonetheless, the alternative is worse. McCain, though clearly a bona fide all American hero (and I get irritated when his opponents challenge this), is out of his depth on the economics and I cannot abide her.*

So tonight, I'm with the left at a party hoping for an Obama victory and trying to avoid contact with my more right wing American friends. Last time I was up till 4; the time before 7. I'm really hoping this gets done and dusted early - the up all night bandwagon isn't one I fancy jumping with.

* In general, I've never really quite got the orientation right on US politics. I'm a centre-right man and though logically I know this makes me a Democrat, I still instinctively feel Republican - it's tribal thing. So, it's always disappointing when they turn out to be rubbish, even though there is no reason for me to feel this.