Much of the current discourse on the Middle East remains fixated on the US midterm congressional elections this coming November. This vote, in particular, is being framed as a pivotal turning point for everything from the survival of Gaza and Lebanon to the future of Iran and beyond.

To a large extent, one can understand why US corporate media is obsessed with this date.

US political power is divided between two ruling parties, each deeply embedded in an intricate system of powerful political and economic elites. For these groups, election results are decisive in shaping the overall direction of the country, but more specifically, they determine the fortunes and misfortunes of a ruling class whose very fate is tied to the corridors of power.

However, there is a distinct irony in this fixation. Rarely do ordinary Americans feel the direct impact of these results—at least not immediately—as the massive US economy seldom responds to sudden political stimuli. This is why, historically, Americans do not vote in large numbers, and why a vast majority continue to distrust their government, whether it is led by Republicans or Democrats.

The interest from Western commentators outside the US also makes a certain kind of sense. A victorious Republican party would strengthen President Trump, who would likely double down on his anti-NATO rhetoric and protectionist trade policies. Trade between Europe and the US would likely be upended by an empowered Trump, who would view a victory as a mandate to punish Europeans for failing to back his ‘maximum pressure’ military campaigns or for refusing to act as obedient junior partners ready to rubber-stamp every American decision, however........

© Middle East Monitor