JEDDAH/RIYADH, 4 November 2004 — Citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia dreaded the news of George W. Bush emerging winner in the US presidential election, as they watched the results unfolding from Tuesday night through yesterday. They were glued to their TV sets like Americans in their country and people elsewhere in the world. They looked fearful that Bush was poised to win a second term in the White House.

Yasin Alireza, a Saudi businessman, said: “It (Bush’s re-election) will be a sad day, as we’ll see more of the kind of problems we have faced during Bush’s first term of office. We don’t expect anything good from this agent of (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon in the White House.”

Shadi Zahid, a Saudi media management executive, said: “It (Bush’s victory) will be hell for the Arab and Islamic world. Arabs and Muslims will now have to be together and united much more than before. Israel and Palestine will see more bloodshed (during Bush’s new term). There will be no peace in the world.”

Kaswar Choudhury, a senior Bangladeshi expatriate, said: “The result is expected as the Kerry lobby was very weak from the beginning. The result shows that Americans wanted a decisive president who could control the whole world and world economy. They wanted a strong leader. Bush may be good for the Americans but not for the world.”

Muhammad Shahid, an Indian business executive, said: “Bush’s election is a misfortune not only for the Arab world but also for America because he has been leading the country through chaos and confusion. He is not interested in negotiations to resolve any issue. He has only been talking of a road map for Palestinians and has given a free hand to Sharon. He has been killing and maiming people in Iraq. Americans are suffering and it is their misfortune that they will have to suffer for four more years.”

Syed Ehsanul Haque, convenor of Pakistan Repatriation Council, said: “(Republican) Bush’s election is not surprising. He has better credibility than (his Democrat rival John) Kerry. Democrats are not considered to be pro-Arab. Bush was blamed for being pro-Pakistan and pro-Saudi Arabia, because they are all involved in war on terror. Bush’s election is good for us, especially Pakistanis, because we have a better understanding of Bush. We have not tested Kerry at all. So from that point of view we welcome Bush’s re-election.”

An American insurance executive, who chose to identify himself as John, said: “Osama Bin Laden’s threat of fresh attacks on the United States seems to have caused the last-minute swing among voters in favor of Bush. Until then it looked as though Kerry would emerge victorious in the photo-finish.”

Dominic Austin, a British courier company executive, said: “This was a chance for Americans to replace Bush who has done harm to America and the world. All his policies have boomeranged.”

People in Riyadh reacted with a mixture of indifference and hope.

Walid Abu Khaled, director of communications at BAE Systems, said: “President Bush’s victory will not make any difference to the Arabs, since it is clear who influences the US foreign policy vis-à-vis the Middle East. Maybe, he will try to do things differently in his second term.”

Saudi financial consultant Mutasher T. Al-Murshed said he does not anticipate any change in the United States’ Middle East policy, which would continue to be pro-Israel. However, the Kingdom cannot ignore the fact that both countries need each other in their mutual interest. In order to rebuild relations with the Kingdom, President Bush would have to accept the fact that Saudi Arabia was honest in its dealings with the US by forewarning the consequences of invading Iraq. “Our relations with the US should be based on transparency and recognition of shared interests,” he said.

Shiraz Ghumman, a Pakistani who studied in the US, said President Bush would try to extricate his country from the Iraq mess by turning over a new leaf. However, as far as Iraq is concerned, it could end up as one of the puppets of the United States.