View from Iraq: Primaries? What primaries?

Iraqi people show very little interest in the American primaries, but appear unanimous in their dislike for George Bush whose legacy will always be linked to their country.

Several men and women questioned about the election fever sweeping the United States refused to answer, saying with a laugh that it meant nothing to them.

Those who did play along stressed that they had far more gripping issues to worry about than American politics, such as security and a lack of basic services – common complaints in Iraq since the US-led invasion almost five years ago.

In addition the only two candidates whose names people recognised were Democratic hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

“I don’t really care about the elections,” said Mohammed Salaam, whose only taste of the campaign comes when he accidentally flicks his television on to a satellite news channel.

“Our life has become far more complicated than to be concerned about them, such as stressing about finding a job,” said the 39-year-old engineer from Baghdad.

Mr Salaam lost his job when the company he worked for closed down because of the violence.

“Also worrying about how to return to my house safely every day makes it ridiculous to add more things to worry about like the elections,” he said yesterday, speaking after Mrs Clinton clinched an unexpected victory over Mr Obama in the New Hampshire Democratic Primary.

On the Republican side, John McCain won the battle.

Mr Salaam said that Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama were the only two candidates he had heard of, but he knew nothing about their respective policies so was unable to choose between them.

“However, the good thing is that they are both against Mr Bush, which is the most important thing for the entire world that is suffering under the Bush policy,” he said.

Asked for his thoughts on the incumbent President, the married father-of-three said: “Hasty and wrongheaded. I think there is something wrong in the genes of his family because his father was even worse then him. They are a family of psychopaths.”

Anas al-Azzawi, aged 36, was similarly scathing about Mr Bush, who is currently on a swan-song tour of the Middle East.

“Everything is bad about him. Please don’t ask me what I think of this man because such a question drives me crazy,” she said.

Unusually, Ms Azzawi said that she was following the American primaries “because I can’t wait until I see Bush being replaced”.

She continued: “I really hope that the new President will have a positive role in our life because Bush has been supporting our corrupt and sectarian Government. We hope that the Government will lose this support when a wise person takes over.”

As for who should get the most powerful job in the world, Ms Azzawi opted for Mrs Clinton.

“With all the violence and awful killing caused by men in the United States, we might need a woman’s touch to help put an end to it,” she said. “But, I see very little chance of the new President making any change because the damage done by Mr Bush is very difficult to repair.”

Arcelan Sadiq, a computer programmer in Baghdad, said the only thing that interested him about the American primaries was Mr Obama because he had heard on the television that the Democratic contender was Muslim.

“I’m waiting to see if the most anti-Islam country in the world these days can still elect a Muslim President,” the 34-year-old, married father-of-two said.

Mr Obama, whose middle name is Hussein, has denied any suggestion that he is Muslim.

"If I were a Muslim, I would let you know," he was quoted by CNN.com as saying in Dubuque, Iowa, last November. "But I'm a member of Trinity United Church of Christ on 95th Street on the South Side of Chicago. We've got the best choir in town, and if you want to come and worship with us, you are more than welcome."