Polls, Kadima and September 11

The first thing that I check in the morning when I sit on my computer is the numbers. Yes, the US election polls! The national polling result, the battleground states, who is leading, the favourablity ratings in short I check it as if I am a pundit on some political blog or a volunteer at a campaign office.

Meanwhile, in Israel, Olmert is definitely standing down. The primary race is between Livni and Mofaz. But I don't check that on a day to day basis. The race is likely to be between Livni and Mofaz, whoever gets the reins of Kadima will get the government. They say Livni is the darling of the left and Mofaz wants to bomb the nuclear out of his birthland. In a way I think that my life will be more affected by who wins the White House than the Siat Kadima. Even if it is Livni, I think Israel will take the necessary action to protect itself from a nuclear Iran.

When the planes crashed into the Twin Towers on September 11, I was in Ethiopia. My parents had called from Israel and I had gone into a neighbours house to speak to them since the phone at home was out of order. As I went in their living room to speak in their landline phone, they were perched on their sofa and watching CNN intently. I finished the conversation and joined what was gaining their attention. The South Tower had just crashed and they were watching that as if it was a new action movie. I was dumbstruck, couldn't believe my eyes. The twin tower has fallen and planes were crashed into the buildings purposely by terrorists! I was like trying to comprehend the monostrous consequences of that. I said to my neighbours 'this is big and we are watching history'. They did not understand my excitement, shock and disbelief.

The World did change that day. It changed in many ways. When America went around the world making a statement, I noticed the changes that Sept. 11 wrought in my life. As a consequence of the decisions of the US Administration, some countries were made stronger, like Iran; the US had given a blind eye and deaf ear as its Allies in the War Against Terrorism trampled on citizens' rights and bend and broke human rights. I think my life has been changed tremendously as a result of Sept 11, may be that is why I am more interested in the US elections than the Israeli party politics.

BT