Quo Vadis for Obama in the Middle East?

Repeating what I have said many times to friends and associates who care to listen, Barack Obama's biggest challenge - apart from resolving the economic situation in the US - lies in the Middle East. The Iranian question and others will never be resolved while Israel continues to illegally take land from the Palestinians. The US cannot realistically hope to find solutions by pretending that the Iranian problem can be resolved separately from the Palestian statehood problem. Furthermore, merely condemning the continued growth of settlements while continuing to transfer billions of dollars to the State of Israel on an annual basis - money that is used to show the middle finger to the rest of the world - brings nothing new to the equation. Even Bush stopped from time to time to condemn these illegal (according to International, not Israeli, law) settlements, but that is as far as it went.

Both Palestinians and Israelis deserve to have a secure home with internationally recognised and enforced borders, protected immediately by both Palestinian and Israeli law and, eventually, through mechanisms of international law.

Granted, the current standoff between Hamas and Mahmood Abbas's Fatwa does not make it easy. But that is a conflict that can be resolved if sufficient resources and international political will are invested into it.

One understands that in order to secure himself higher chances of a second term in office, Barack Obama has to take it easy on Israel, but his failure here will not set him too aside from his precedessors. That would be a real pity for a President and, arguably, leader of the world, who came onto the scene with so much hope and aura!

Personal Branding

The concept of personal branding, however loosely many seem to use it, is gaining currency in South Africa, especially in the political field. I guess people haven't always paid attention to the personal appeal of political leaders vis-a-vis their competitors. Now that the South African political landscape is maturing, there is increasing talk about the appeal of such and such a public figure: how they dress, talk, present themselves, etc. before there is even talk about their capabilities. The word reputation has become important. South Africans - and possibly the world - chose to close their eyes on many faults and weaknesses on the part of Brand Mandela. He was not allowed to be human!

Newly elected President Jacob Zuma is seen as a friendly, approachable, feet-on-the-ground kind of leader. Despite the image problems that he faced because of his pre-electoral legal challenges, he is still favorably compared to his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki - often referred to as the "Philosopher King", who was seen to be arrogant and very impersonal in his dealings with most people. Brand Zuma is even seen to be closer to Brand Mandela than Brand Mbeki was! How is that for the influence that can be generated by personalities in Politics?

Some have commented, correctly, that Brand Zuma is still easily dwarfed by Brand Obama. This is true on the international stage. American and international media has found it to be much easier to be on the side of Brand Obama - especially because of his handsome looks, athletic body and obvious intellect -than to his precedessor, Brand Bush (Can we talk of Brand Bush?). Brand Zuma, on the other hand, has always had to fight to get what it wanted, from early childhood. His lacking of the Obama physical attributes and voice power will also not make it easy for him.

Question, what role does media play in growing personal brands?