TAIPEI, Taiwan – China and Taiwan made economic history Tuesday with a bold agreement that allows planes and ships to travel directly across the Taiwan Strait — the place where many have feared they would fight their next battle.
Still the Asian rivals appear far from resolving the root causes of nearly six decades of hostilities and distrust. The pact was possible because negotiators set aside thorny political disputes and only focused on trade and economics.
The new deal allows passenger flights directly across the 100-mile-wide Taiwan Strait that separates Taiwan from mainland China. In the past, planes had to fly into Hong Kong airspace while traveling between the two sides. Cargo ships, which used to have to stop at the Japanese island of Okinawa northeast of Taiwan, will be allowed to sail directly to the other side and cut hundreds of miles out of each trip.
The deal is significant for businesses and drew applause from three chambers of commerce representing Japan, the U.S. and Europe. The groups said in a joint statement the restrictions on flights and shipping have kept Taiwan from fully participating in the global and Asian economies.
"Taiwan can only benefit from having greater interaction with one of the world's fastest growing markets," it said.
In the eyes of China's leaders, Taiwan is a Chinese province that must eventually unite with the mainland or be invaded by the mainland's massive military.
A conflict could quickly draw in the U.S., which has long warned China's government it may defend Taiwan — a major buyer of American weapons. Even as they talk to China, the Taiwanese have been loading up on more U.S. arms, including Apache helicopters and Patriot missiles.
China-Taiwan relations are so awkward and strained that Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin, who signed the deal Tuesday, has yet to call Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou by his proper title: president. When they meet Thursday, Chen will likely just address him as "Mr. Ma."
Chen — the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Taiwan — is sticking to Beijing's policy of not formally recognizing the island's government.
Taiwan's top official for China policy, Lai Shin-yuan, urged critics to embrace the deal and stop obsessing about sensitive political issues.
"This is something people should support, instead of making an issue of how I am addressed by the Chinese side," Lai told reporters. "Our sovereignty has not been harmed during the meeting this time."
Most Taiwanese are not ready to unify with China and do not want Beijing meddling in their political affairs. Many favor independence, and China's refusal to recognize their government infuriates them. About 200 protesters scuffled with police Tuesday night outside a hotel where the Chinese envoy attended a banquet.
The Taiwanese president, who took office in May, has promised not to begin unification negotiations during his four-year term.
Some fear that closer ties with China — even if they only involve trade and economics — will sacrifice Taiwan's sovereignty by making it overly dependent on the mainland.
That's the view of Taiwan's previous president, Chen Shui-bian, who was vilified by Beijing because he favored independence. Chen on Tuesday accused the new government of being too friendly with China.
"We have strived to be the masters of Taiwan," he said. "But now we are becoming slaves to China."
But Alexander Huang, a political science professor at Taipei's Tamkang University, doubted the economic agreements will lead to Taiwan being absorbed by its massive neighbor.
"Taiwanese have enjoyed their democracy and don't want to have officials appointed by the mainland," said Huang, who also thought the pact would help decrease the threat of a war.
Huang added the agreement shows China is eager to win the hearts and minds of Taiwanese. Beijing, which refused to talk to Chen's government for eight years, also doesn't want Taiwan to drift further toward permanent independence.
Showing posts with label World News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World News. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Asians uneasy over Obama trade stance
BEIJING – Indian outsourcing companies, Cambodian textile workers and Korean automakers took a close look Wednesday at Barack Obama's trade stance, wondering what Democratic victories in the White House and Congress would spell for free trade.
Obama has said he is in favor of free trade agreements if they benefit the United States. He has criticized the one with South Korea, saying it does not adequately address an imbalance in auto trade. South Korean automakers sold 772,482 vehicles in the United States in 2007, while the U.S. sold 6,235 in South Korea, according to industry statistics.
"He appears to be a protectionist," said Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union of Workers in Cambodia, which has an export-driven textile industry. "I am quite concerned about that because most of our clothing products are exported to America."
In an Oct. 24 letter to the U.S. National Council of Textile Organizations, Obama pledged "strong enforcement" of trade remedy laws, which can include added tariffs on imports that are deemed to hurt American businesses. Obama said he would include labor and environmental standards in free trade agreements — a measure that many in Asia view as a possible pretext to shield U.S. companies from foreign competition.
Obama also has said he would pressure China to end what he calls the manipulation of its exchange-rate system. Washington and other trading partners say Beijing's currency, the yuan, is kept undervalued, giving its exporters an unfair price advantage and adding to China's multibillion-dollar trade surplus.
Indian outsourcing companies — accused by critics of stealing U.S. jobs — have also expressed some apprehensions about an Obama victory.
The potential for a protectionist backlash is "something we have to factor in," S. Ramadorai, chief executive of Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest software services provider, said shortly before the election.
Other analysts said that despite Obama's pre-election comments, he was likely to follow the example of previous U.S. presidents and take a moderate line in office to preserve important trade relations with Asia.
"He may have talked tough, but based on past experience, that's just a tool to win over voters," said Qiang Yongchang, a professor at the Economy Institute at Shanghai's Fudan University.
___
AP Business Writers Tomoko Hosaka and Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo, Elaine Kurtenbach in Shanghai, Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong and Kelly Olsen in Seoul, Associated Press Writer Ker Munthit in Phnom Penh and AP researcher Bonnie Cao in Beijing contributed to this report.
Obama has said he is in favor of free trade agreements if they benefit the United States. He has criticized the one with South Korea, saying it does not adequately address an imbalance in auto trade. South Korean automakers sold 772,482 vehicles in the United States in 2007, while the U.S. sold 6,235 in South Korea, according to industry statistics.
"He appears to be a protectionist," said Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union of Workers in Cambodia, which has an export-driven textile industry. "I am quite concerned about that because most of our clothing products are exported to America."
In an Oct. 24 letter to the U.S. National Council of Textile Organizations, Obama pledged "strong enforcement" of trade remedy laws, which can include added tariffs on imports that are deemed to hurt American businesses. Obama said he would include labor and environmental standards in free trade agreements — a measure that many in Asia view as a possible pretext to shield U.S. companies from foreign competition.
Obama also has said he would pressure China to end what he calls the manipulation of its exchange-rate system. Washington and other trading partners say Beijing's currency, the yuan, is kept undervalued, giving its exporters an unfair price advantage and adding to China's multibillion-dollar trade surplus.
Indian outsourcing companies — accused by critics of stealing U.S. jobs — have also expressed some apprehensions about an Obama victory.
The potential for a protectionist backlash is "something we have to factor in," S. Ramadorai, chief executive of Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest software services provider, said shortly before the election.
Other analysts said that despite Obama's pre-election comments, he was likely to follow the example of previous U.S. presidents and take a moderate line in office to preserve important trade relations with Asia.
"He may have talked tough, but based on past experience, that's just a tool to win over voters," said Qiang Yongchang, a professor at the Economy Institute at Shanghai's Fudan University.
___
AP Business Writers Tomoko Hosaka and Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo, Elaine Kurtenbach in Shanghai, Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong and Kelly Olsen in Seoul, Associated Press Writer Ker Munthit in Phnom Penh and AP researcher Bonnie Cao in Beijing contributed to this report.
Plane crash leaves Mexico interior secretary dead
MEXICO CITY – One of Mexico's top pointmen in the war against drug trafficking died when a government jet crashed into a Mexico City street, setting fire to dozens of vehicles and dealing crusading President Felipe Calderon a serious blow.
Officials said the Tuesday crash appeared to be an accident but the loss of Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino, former anti-drug prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and six others thinned the ranks of Mexico's already embattled leadership.
U.S. Ambassador Antonio Garza praised the two officials and suggested them as models for the fight against organized crime.
"Their dedication and commitment to accomplishing their work, especially that which strengthened our bilateral fight against those who attack the security of our two countries, certainly will be a model for all of us in a common effort that will continue to strengthen," Garza said in a statement.
Mourino, 37, was one of President Felipe Calderon's closest advisers but has been embroiled in scandal since taking office in the midst of Mexico's violent fight against drug cartels. He was in charge of the country's security.
"With his death, Mexico has lost a great Mexican, intelligent, loyal and committed to his ideals and his country," Calderon told a news conference. "I ask all Mexicans that they don't allow any event, no matter how difficult or painful, to weaken them in the pursuit of a better Mexico."
Calderon has sent tens of thousands of federal police and army troops throughout Mexico to fight drug cartels that are fighting increasingly bloody turf battles and killing police officials.
Presidential spokesman Max Cortazar said Mourino and a group of advisers had attended the launching of a program to welcome returning migrants in the city of San Luis Potosi on Tuesday, and were headed back to Mexico City's international airport when the plane went down.
Officials said no distress call had been received and the crash appeared to be an accident, but Calderon said his administration "will carry out all the necessary investigations to find out the causes of this tragedy."
U.S. experts from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will arrive on Wednesday to assist in the investigation, officials said.
Mexico's fleet of government aircraft have suffered accidents in the past and the country has long said it needs new helicopters and planes to fight drug cartels. Mexico is slated to receive more helicopters and planes as part of a $400 million U.S. aid package known as the Merida Initiative approved in June, but which has not been yet released.
In 2005, a helicopter crash blamed on poor weather conditions killed Mexico's top police official, public safety secretary Ramon Martin Huerta, the head of federal police and seven other people.
The Learjet carrying Mourino crashed on a street in the posh Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood, an area filled with tall office buildings. Officials evacuated about 1,800 people from area offices.
Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said all those aboard the plane were killed and that more people may have died on the ground. "It's likely that we will find other bodies in the vehicles," Ebrard told the Televisa news network.
Hundreds of police, firefighters and soldiers swarmed the scene, which was littered with the burned-out hulks of vehicles and pieces of what appeared to be bodies.
Eight bodies were recovered and at least 40 people were injured, seven of them seriously. The jet seats eight and Calderon listed eight people — including assistants and spokespeople for Mourino — but it was unclear whether all the bodies recovered were from the plane. The bodies were too badly burned to be immediately identified.
Santiago Vasconcelos, who was previously in charge of pursuing extraditions against drug traffickers, had been the target of at least one planned assassination attempt in the past.
The plane's wreckage came to rest just yards from tall office buildings and Ebrard said many more people would almost certainly have died had the plane hit one of the towers.
Civil aviation officials were investigating the cause of the crash.
Mourino was one of the most controversial officials when he joined Calderon's Cabinet in January because of his family's involvement with private contracts to Mexico's state-owned oil company, precisely at a time when Calderon sought to open up the legal framework for more such contracts.
The Mourino family's dealing in contracts for the transport of fuel angered many here, who view the state oil company as a point of national pride and oppose any openings to private involvement in the industry.
Born in Spain and educated at the University of Tampa in Florida, some also criticized the fact that he was foreign-born, arguing he shouldn't be able to hold one of the top Cabinet security posts.
He became a Mexican citizen about two decades ago, served as a federal legislator and went on to become Calderon's closest adviser as head of the Office of the Presidency. He was one of the youngest men to have held the politically sensitive post of interior secretary.
Spanish firms have recently made major inroads in Mexico's telecommunications and banking sector, drawing criticism from some Mexicans who resent the influence of the country's former colonial master.
Officials said the Tuesday crash appeared to be an accident but the loss of Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino, former anti-drug prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and six others thinned the ranks of Mexico's already embattled leadership.
U.S. Ambassador Antonio Garza praised the two officials and suggested them as models for the fight against organized crime.
"Their dedication and commitment to accomplishing their work, especially that which strengthened our bilateral fight against those who attack the security of our two countries, certainly will be a model for all of us in a common effort that will continue to strengthen," Garza said in a statement.
Mourino, 37, was one of President Felipe Calderon's closest advisers but has been embroiled in scandal since taking office in the midst of Mexico's violent fight against drug cartels. He was in charge of the country's security.
"With his death, Mexico has lost a great Mexican, intelligent, loyal and committed to his ideals and his country," Calderon told a news conference. "I ask all Mexicans that they don't allow any event, no matter how difficult or painful, to weaken them in the pursuit of a better Mexico."
Calderon has sent tens of thousands of federal police and army troops throughout Mexico to fight drug cartels that are fighting increasingly bloody turf battles and killing police officials.
Presidential spokesman Max Cortazar said Mourino and a group of advisers had attended the launching of a program to welcome returning migrants in the city of San Luis Potosi on Tuesday, and were headed back to Mexico City's international airport when the plane went down.
Officials said no distress call had been received and the crash appeared to be an accident, but Calderon said his administration "will carry out all the necessary investigations to find out the causes of this tragedy."
U.S. experts from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will arrive on Wednesday to assist in the investigation, officials said.
Mexico's fleet of government aircraft have suffered accidents in the past and the country has long said it needs new helicopters and planes to fight drug cartels. Mexico is slated to receive more helicopters and planes as part of a $400 million U.S. aid package known as the Merida Initiative approved in June, but which has not been yet released.
In 2005, a helicopter crash blamed on poor weather conditions killed Mexico's top police official, public safety secretary Ramon Martin Huerta, the head of federal police and seven other people.
The Learjet carrying Mourino crashed on a street in the posh Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood, an area filled with tall office buildings. Officials evacuated about 1,800 people from area offices.
Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said all those aboard the plane were killed and that more people may have died on the ground. "It's likely that we will find other bodies in the vehicles," Ebrard told the Televisa news network.
Hundreds of police, firefighters and soldiers swarmed the scene, which was littered with the burned-out hulks of vehicles and pieces of what appeared to be bodies.
Eight bodies were recovered and at least 40 people were injured, seven of them seriously. The jet seats eight and Calderon listed eight people — including assistants and spokespeople for Mourino — but it was unclear whether all the bodies recovered were from the plane. The bodies were too badly burned to be immediately identified.
Santiago Vasconcelos, who was previously in charge of pursuing extraditions against drug traffickers, had been the target of at least one planned assassination attempt in the past.
The plane's wreckage came to rest just yards from tall office buildings and Ebrard said many more people would almost certainly have died had the plane hit one of the towers.
Civil aviation officials were investigating the cause of the crash.
Mourino was one of the most controversial officials when he joined Calderon's Cabinet in January because of his family's involvement with private contracts to Mexico's state-owned oil company, precisely at a time when Calderon sought to open up the legal framework for more such contracts.
The Mourino family's dealing in contracts for the transport of fuel angered many here, who view the state oil company as a point of national pride and oppose any openings to private involvement in the industry.
Born in Spain and educated at the University of Tampa in Florida, some also criticized the fact that he was foreign-born, arguing he shouldn't be able to hold one of the top Cabinet security posts.
He became a Mexican citizen about two decades ago, served as a federal legislator and went on to become Calderon's closest adviser as head of the Office of the Presidency. He was one of the youngest men to have held the politically sensitive post of interior secretary.
Spanish firms have recently made major inroads in Mexico's telecommunications and banking sector, drawing criticism from some Mexicans who resent the influence of the country's former colonial master.
Russia to station missiles near Poland
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pledged on Wednesday to station new missiles near Poland's border in response to U.S. plans for an anti-missile system and proposed extending the presidential term to six years from four.
In an assertive first annual address to the nation, he defended Russia's war with Georgia, appealed to nationalism and attacked Washington's "selfish" foreign policy and "economic blunders" which he said caused the global financial crisis.
The harsh tone and repeated attacks on the United States the day after Democrat Barack Obama's electoral victory surprised some observers who had expected a more liberal style and more detail on how Russia would tackle a financial crisis.
"To neutralize -- if necessary -- the (U.S.) anti-missile system, an Iskander missile system will be deployed in the Kaliningrad region," Medvedev said, referring to a Russian enclave bordering European Union members Poland and Lithuania.
Russia would electronically jam the U.S. system, parts of which are due to be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Moscow would scrap plans to stand down three Cold War-era nuclear missile regiments, the president said.
"Medvedev was very assertive in his delivery," said Ronald Smith, chief strategist at Alfa Bank in Moscow. "(He) appeared to be staking out strong positions on various issues ahead of the entry of the new American presidential administration."
Medvedev's 85-minute address also included surprise proposals to extend the presidential term from four to six years, a move that may benefit his predecessor Vladimir Putin.
Putin, now a highly influential prime minister, listened attentively from the front row of the audience in the grand, marble-clad St George Hall of the Kremlin and nodded at times as Medvedev spoke.
Still Russia's most popular politician, Putin stepped down in May after serving the maximum two consecutive terms allowed, but is free to return for another two terms when Medvedev's four years in power end in 2012.
Medvedev also announced plans to lengthen legislators' terms by a year and make it easier for small parties to win parliamentary representation. He did not say when the changes might take effect.
Small parties are among the most critical of the government and they were eliminated from the federal legislature under Putin's eight-year rule.
CRITICISM OF UNITED STATES
One day after Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential election, Medvedev reserved his harshest criticism for the United States, blaming its "selfish" foreign policy for Russia's brief war in August with Georgia, a U.S. ally.
"The conflict in the Caucasus was used as a pretext for sending NATO warships to the Black Sea and then for the forceful foisting on Europe of America's anti-missile systems," Medvedev said in his speech, broadcast live on television and radio.
The war with Georgia over the rebel region of South Ossetia was "among other things, the result of the arrogant course of the U.S. administration which hates criticism and prefers unilateral decisions," he added.
Speaking to around 1,000 parliamentarians, top government officials, religious leaders and journalists, Medvedev linked the war in Georgia to the global financial crisis, saying they both began as localized events but took on broader significance.
"We will overcome the consequences of the world economic crisis and will come out of it even stronger than we were," Medvedev, who took office in May, said to applause.
But the financial and Georgia crises also showed the need for fundamental reform of global institutions, he added.
"The lessons of the mistakes and crises of 2008 have proved to all responsible nations that the time has come to act, and it is necessary to radically reform the (international) political and economic system," the president said.
Russia's war with Georgia handed Moscow a quick military victory but serious defeat with international investors, who dumped Russian assets in a selling spree that made the stock market one of the world's worst performing this year.
Medvedev's inaugural speech coincided with Russian stock markets giving up most of the day's big gains, though it was not immediately clear how much was due to international factors.
"This is speech designed very much for domestic audience... and the incoming U.S. administration. This was not a message aimed at investors or the business community," said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Moscow bank Uralsib.
(Editing by Ralph Boulton)
In an assertive first annual address to the nation, he defended Russia's war with Georgia, appealed to nationalism and attacked Washington's "selfish" foreign policy and "economic blunders" which he said caused the global financial crisis.
The harsh tone and repeated attacks on the United States the day after Democrat Barack Obama's electoral victory surprised some observers who had expected a more liberal style and more detail on how Russia would tackle a financial crisis.
"To neutralize -- if necessary -- the (U.S.) anti-missile system, an Iskander missile system will be deployed in the Kaliningrad region," Medvedev said, referring to a Russian enclave bordering European Union members Poland and Lithuania.
Russia would electronically jam the U.S. system, parts of which are due to be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Moscow would scrap plans to stand down three Cold War-era nuclear missile regiments, the president said.
"Medvedev was very assertive in his delivery," said Ronald Smith, chief strategist at Alfa Bank in Moscow. "(He) appeared to be staking out strong positions on various issues ahead of the entry of the new American presidential administration."
Medvedev's 85-minute address also included surprise proposals to extend the presidential term from four to six years, a move that may benefit his predecessor Vladimir Putin.
Putin, now a highly influential prime minister, listened attentively from the front row of the audience in the grand, marble-clad St George Hall of the Kremlin and nodded at times as Medvedev spoke.
Still Russia's most popular politician, Putin stepped down in May after serving the maximum two consecutive terms allowed, but is free to return for another two terms when Medvedev's four years in power end in 2012.
Medvedev also announced plans to lengthen legislators' terms by a year and make it easier for small parties to win parliamentary representation. He did not say when the changes might take effect.
Small parties are among the most critical of the government and they were eliminated from the federal legislature under Putin's eight-year rule.
CRITICISM OF UNITED STATES
One day after Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential election, Medvedev reserved his harshest criticism for the United States, blaming its "selfish" foreign policy for Russia's brief war in August with Georgia, a U.S. ally.
"The conflict in the Caucasus was used as a pretext for sending NATO warships to the Black Sea and then for the forceful foisting on Europe of America's anti-missile systems," Medvedev said in his speech, broadcast live on television and radio.
The war with Georgia over the rebel region of South Ossetia was "among other things, the result of the arrogant course of the U.S. administration which hates criticism and prefers unilateral decisions," he added.
Speaking to around 1,000 parliamentarians, top government officials, religious leaders and journalists, Medvedev linked the war in Georgia to the global financial crisis, saying they both began as localized events but took on broader significance.
"We will overcome the consequences of the world economic crisis and will come out of it even stronger than we were," Medvedev, who took office in May, said to applause.
But the financial and Georgia crises also showed the need for fundamental reform of global institutions, he added.
"The lessons of the mistakes and crises of 2008 have proved to all responsible nations that the time has come to act, and it is necessary to radically reform the (international) political and economic system," the president said.
Russia's war with Georgia handed Moscow a quick military victory but serious defeat with international investors, who dumped Russian assets in a selling spree that made the stock market one of the world's worst performing this year.
Medvedev's inaugural speech coincided with Russian stock markets giving up most of the day's big gains, though it was not immediately clear how much was due to international factors.
"This is speech designed very much for domestic audience... and the incoming U.S. administration. This was not a message aimed at investors or the business community," said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Moscow bank Uralsib.
(Editing by Ralph Boulton)
Iraq: No hasty change in US policy with Obama win
BAGHDAD – Many in Iraq said Wednesday they don't expect an immediate shift in U.S. policy toward their country when Barack Obama takes over as the new U.S. president, despite his calls for a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops within 16 months.
But top Iraqi officials said they do recognize the new president-elect's perspective on the war in Iraq differs greatly from current U.S. President George W. Bush.
"We don't expect any change to happen overnight or any hasty change in U.S. policy and commitment toward Iraq," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told Al-Arabiyah TV moments after Obama claimed victory over Republican John McCain.
But he acknowledged that Obama "will not have the same enthusiasm and momentum for this situation" in Iraq as Bush.
The foreign minister said Obama told Iraqi leaders earlier this year during meetings in Baghdad and Washington that "any decision that concerns Iraq would be taken after thorough discussions with the Iraqi government and field military leaders."
Salim Abdullah, spokesman for the largest Sunni parliamentary bloc, agreed.
"We are not concerned that he will take a unilateral decision to move troops quickly from Iraq," Abdullah told The Associated Press.
Some Iraqis, however, are eager to see an end to a U.S. military presence they consider foreign occupation. American officials insist the troops are here to defend the Iraqi people against terrorists.
Salah al-Obeidi, spokesman of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said Wednesday that with Obama's victory, "we expect that big changes will take place."
The Sadrists are among the most outspoken opponents of the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Wali Mohammed, a 22-year-old college student in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, said he wants Obama to stand pat on his campaign pledge to pull the 151,000 U.S. troops out of Iraq.
"We hope Obama will stick to his word," Mohammed said.
Other Iraqis fear their leaders and security forces are not ready to take over and don't want the Americans to leave too soon.
U.S. exit polls showed that only one in 10 American voters called the Iraq war their top concern when making their presidential choice, reflecting expectations Obama will focus more on domestic issues and the economy once he takes over.
Obama's election win comes as U.S. and Iraqi officials scramble to reach a deal on a new security agreement that would end the U.S. military presence in the country by 2012 and give Iraqis a greater role in managing combat operations.
Violence has dropped sharply in the country since Iraqi security forces and the U.S. military gained the upper hand against extremists this spring.
But a string of bombings in Baghdad this week have killed more than 30 people, underscoring that insurgents still pose a threat. And U.S. commanders warn the security gains are reversible.
It remains unclear what impact the Democrat's victory will have on negotiations over the security agreement, but Iyad Jamal-Aldin, a lawmaker from the Iraqiya List, said he doesn't expect it "will speed up the signing of the pact."
Opinions in the run-up to Tuesday's vote differed somewhat in Kurdistan, the generally peaceful three northern provinces where Kurds have enjoyed self-rule since 1991 and have used their ties to Washington to defend their autonomy.
Some Kurdish officials had expressed concern that Obama might not continue the close relationship.
Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman said Wednesday he thinks the Democrat's administration will usher in a fresh approach from Washington toward the Middle East.
"I think that it's a natural change to take place after a long period with the Republicans in office," said Othman, who praised the Democrat's idea of holding talks with Iraq's neighbor, Iran.
In Baghdad, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement that Iraq hopes to cooperate with the president-elect to achieve "security and stability in Iraq, to preserve its sovereignty and protect its people's interests."
__
Associated Press writers Sinan Salaheddin and Hamid Ahmed contributed to this report.
But top Iraqi officials said they do recognize the new president-elect's perspective on the war in Iraq differs greatly from current U.S. President George W. Bush.
"We don't expect any change to happen overnight or any hasty change in U.S. policy and commitment toward Iraq," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told Al-Arabiyah TV moments after Obama claimed victory over Republican John McCain.
But he acknowledged that Obama "will not have the same enthusiasm and momentum for this situation" in Iraq as Bush.
The foreign minister said Obama told Iraqi leaders earlier this year during meetings in Baghdad and Washington that "any decision that concerns Iraq would be taken after thorough discussions with the Iraqi government and field military leaders."
Salim Abdullah, spokesman for the largest Sunni parliamentary bloc, agreed.
"We are not concerned that he will take a unilateral decision to move troops quickly from Iraq," Abdullah told The Associated Press.
Some Iraqis, however, are eager to see an end to a U.S. military presence they consider foreign occupation. American officials insist the troops are here to defend the Iraqi people against terrorists.
Salah al-Obeidi, spokesman of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said Wednesday that with Obama's victory, "we expect that big changes will take place."
The Sadrists are among the most outspoken opponents of the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Wali Mohammed, a 22-year-old college student in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, said he wants Obama to stand pat on his campaign pledge to pull the 151,000 U.S. troops out of Iraq.
"We hope Obama will stick to his word," Mohammed said.
Other Iraqis fear their leaders and security forces are not ready to take over and don't want the Americans to leave too soon.
U.S. exit polls showed that only one in 10 American voters called the Iraq war their top concern when making their presidential choice, reflecting expectations Obama will focus more on domestic issues and the economy once he takes over.
Obama's election win comes as U.S. and Iraqi officials scramble to reach a deal on a new security agreement that would end the U.S. military presence in the country by 2012 and give Iraqis a greater role in managing combat operations.
Violence has dropped sharply in the country since Iraqi security forces and the U.S. military gained the upper hand against extremists this spring.
But a string of bombings in Baghdad this week have killed more than 30 people, underscoring that insurgents still pose a threat. And U.S. commanders warn the security gains are reversible.
It remains unclear what impact the Democrat's victory will have on negotiations over the security agreement, but Iyad Jamal-Aldin, a lawmaker from the Iraqiya List, said he doesn't expect it "will speed up the signing of the pact."
Opinions in the run-up to Tuesday's vote differed somewhat in Kurdistan, the generally peaceful three northern provinces where Kurds have enjoyed self-rule since 1991 and have used their ties to Washington to defend their autonomy.
Some Kurdish officials had expressed concern that Obama might not continue the close relationship.
Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman said Wednesday he thinks the Democrat's administration will usher in a fresh approach from Washington toward the Middle East.
"I think that it's a natural change to take place after a long period with the Republicans in office," said Othman, who praised the Democrat's idea of holding talks with Iraq's neighbor, Iran.
In Baghdad, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement that Iraq hopes to cooperate with the president-elect to achieve "security and stability in Iraq, to preserve its sovereignty and protect its people's interests."
__
Associated Press writers Sinan Salaheddin and Hamid Ahmed contributed to this report.
Hamas fires rockets at Israel after 6 killed
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Hamas militants pounded southern Israel with a barrage of rockets Wednesday, hours after Israeli forces killed six gunmen in a fresh bout of violence that threatened to unravel a five-month-old truce that has brought relief to both Gaza and southern Israel.
The clashes began late Tuesday after the Israeli forces burst into Gaza to destroy what the army said was a tunnel being dug near the border to abduct Israeli troops.
Despite the outbreak of violence, both Israeli authorities and officials with Gaza's Hamas government said they wanted to restore the calm that has largely prevailed over the past five months.
After the Israeli incursion, Hamas gunmen battled Israeli forces and Gaza residents reported the sound of explosions, gunshots and helicopter fire. One Hamas fighter was killed, prompting a wave of mortar fire at nearby Israeli targets.
An Israeli airstrike then killed five Hamas militants preparing to fire mortar shells. Hamas responded with the barrage of rockets.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the rockets were in "response to Israel's massive breach of the truce."
"The Israelis began this tension and they must pay an expensive price. They cannot leave us drowning in blood while they sleep soundly in their beds," Barhoum said.
The Israeli military said 35 rockets were fired, including one that reached the coastal city of Ashkelon, about 10 miles north of Gaza — underscoring the militants' growing ability to strike deeper into Israel.
Police said the rocket landed in an empty area and there were no reports of injuries or property damage. However, the army said four soldiers were wounded, two moderately, in the border fighting.
The violence was the worst since Israel and Hamas agreed to an Egyptian-mediated truce in June.
In scenes not seen for months, Gaza residents crowded into hospitals, as ambulances delivered the dead and injured. Grieving militants in military fatigues fired rounds of automatic weapon fire into the air to commemorate their fallen comrades. Over Gaza City, the thudding sound of rockets being fired into Israel was audible. Unmanned Israeli aircraft, often used to target militants, buzzed in the sky overhead.
Israeli rescue services said their teams in southern Israel had been placed on high alert with ambulances on standby.
While Israel and Hamas blamed each other for the violence, neither would say the truce was over.
"We want to see the quiet in the south continued," said Mark Regev, Israeli government spokesman. "This operation was in response to a Hamas intrusion of the quiet and we hope we won't see an escalation here."
Barhoum, the Hamas spokesman, said the militant group was in touch with Egypt to try to restore calm.
Each side has a strong interest in keeping things quiet. Israel has little appetite for a return to the rocket barrages that have made life in southern border towns unbearable in recent years, while Hamas is interested in strengthening its hold on power in Gaza. Hamas violently seized control of the coastal strip in June 2007.
Israeli defense officials said they had discovered a 300-yard tunnel days ago and concluded the passage was to be used for a kidnapping. Hamas already is holding an Israeli soldier that militants captured in a cross-border raid more than two years ago.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information was classified, said Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved Tuesday's operation. Defense officials said they knew the raid could jeopardize the cease-fire, but concluded that Gaza's Hamas rulers would have an interest in restoring the calm.
The Israeli army said a special army unit moved about 300 yards into Gaza late Tuesday to destroy the tunnel. It said the unit completed its mission and returned to Israel early Wednesday.
The army called its incursion a "pinpoint operation" required because the tunnel posed an immediate kidnapping threat, but signaled it had no intention of intensifying the fighting.
Israel and Palestinian militant groups reached the Egyptian-mediated cease-fire in June after months of indirect negotiations. The deal halted a deadly cycle of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli reprisals.
Sporadic rocket attacks on southern Israel have persisted, but the attacks were carried out by smaller militant Gaza groups seeking to embarrass Hamas for preserving a truce with the Jewish state.
The clashes began late Tuesday after the Israeli forces burst into Gaza to destroy what the army said was a tunnel being dug near the border to abduct Israeli troops.
Despite the outbreak of violence, both Israeli authorities and officials with Gaza's Hamas government said they wanted to restore the calm that has largely prevailed over the past five months.
After the Israeli incursion, Hamas gunmen battled Israeli forces and Gaza residents reported the sound of explosions, gunshots and helicopter fire. One Hamas fighter was killed, prompting a wave of mortar fire at nearby Israeli targets.
An Israeli airstrike then killed five Hamas militants preparing to fire mortar shells. Hamas responded with the barrage of rockets.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the rockets were in "response to Israel's massive breach of the truce."
"The Israelis began this tension and they must pay an expensive price. They cannot leave us drowning in blood while they sleep soundly in their beds," Barhoum said.
The Israeli military said 35 rockets were fired, including one that reached the coastal city of Ashkelon, about 10 miles north of Gaza — underscoring the militants' growing ability to strike deeper into Israel.
Police said the rocket landed in an empty area and there were no reports of injuries or property damage. However, the army said four soldiers were wounded, two moderately, in the border fighting.
The violence was the worst since Israel and Hamas agreed to an Egyptian-mediated truce in June.
In scenes not seen for months, Gaza residents crowded into hospitals, as ambulances delivered the dead and injured. Grieving militants in military fatigues fired rounds of automatic weapon fire into the air to commemorate their fallen comrades. Over Gaza City, the thudding sound of rockets being fired into Israel was audible. Unmanned Israeli aircraft, often used to target militants, buzzed in the sky overhead.
Israeli rescue services said their teams in southern Israel had been placed on high alert with ambulances on standby.
While Israel and Hamas blamed each other for the violence, neither would say the truce was over.
"We want to see the quiet in the south continued," said Mark Regev, Israeli government spokesman. "This operation was in response to a Hamas intrusion of the quiet and we hope we won't see an escalation here."
Barhoum, the Hamas spokesman, said the militant group was in touch with Egypt to try to restore calm.
Each side has a strong interest in keeping things quiet. Israel has little appetite for a return to the rocket barrages that have made life in southern border towns unbearable in recent years, while Hamas is interested in strengthening its hold on power in Gaza. Hamas violently seized control of the coastal strip in June 2007.
Israeli defense officials said they had discovered a 300-yard tunnel days ago and concluded the passage was to be used for a kidnapping. Hamas already is holding an Israeli soldier that militants captured in a cross-border raid more than two years ago.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information was classified, said Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved Tuesday's operation. Defense officials said they knew the raid could jeopardize the cease-fire, but concluded that Gaza's Hamas rulers would have an interest in restoring the calm.
The Israeli army said a special army unit moved about 300 yards into Gaza late Tuesday to destroy the tunnel. It said the unit completed its mission and returned to Israel early Wednesday.
The army called its incursion a "pinpoint operation" required because the tunnel posed an immediate kidnapping threat, but signaled it had no intention of intensifying the fighting.
Israel and Palestinian militant groups reached the Egyptian-mediated cease-fire in June after months of indirect negotiations. The deal halted a deadly cycle of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli reprisals.
Sporadic rocket attacks on southern Israel have persisted, but the attacks were carried out by smaller militant Gaza groups seeking to embarrass Hamas for preserving a truce with the Jewish state.
Obama Elected President as Racial Barrier Falls
Barack Hussein Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday, sweeping away the last racial barrier in American politics with ease as the country chose him as its first black chief executive.
The election of Mr. Obama amounted to a national catharsis — a repudiation of a historically unpopular Republican president and his economic and foreign policies, and an embrace of Mr. Obama’s call for a change in the direction and the tone of the country.
But it was just as much a strikingly symbolic moment in the evolution of the nation’s fraught racial history, a breakthrough that would have seemed unthinkable just two years ago.
Mr. Obama, 47, a first-term senator from Illinois, defeated Senator John McCain of Arizona, 72, a former prisoner of war who was making his second bid for the presidency.
To the very end, Mr. McCain’s campaign was eclipsed by an opponent who was nothing short of a phenomenon, drawing huge crowds epitomized by the tens of thousands of people who turned out to hear Mr. Obama’s victory speech in Grant Park in Chicago.
Mr. McCain also fought the headwinds of a relentlessly hostile political environment, weighted down with the baggage left to him by President Bush and an economic collapse that took place in the middle of the general election campaign.
“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” said Mr. Obama, standing before a huge wooden lectern with a row of American flags at his back, casting his eyes to a crowd that stretched far into the Chicago night.
“It’s been a long time coming,” the president-elect added, “but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America.”
Mr. McCain delivered his concession speech under clear skies on the lush lawn of the Arizona Biltmore, in Phoenix, where he and his wife had held their wedding reception. The crowd reacted with scattered boos as he offered his congratulations to Mr. Obama and saluted the historical significance of the moment.
“This is a historic election, and I recognize the significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight,” Mr. McCain said, adding, “We both realize that we have come a long way from the injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation.”
Not only did Mr. Obama capture the presidency, but he led his party to sharp gains in Congress. This puts Democrats in control of the House, the Senate and the White House for the first time since 1995, when Bill Clinton was in office.
The day shimmered with history as voters began lining up before dawn, hours before polls opened, to take part in the culmination of a campaign that over the course of two years commanded an extraordinary amount of attention from the American public.
As the returns became known, and Mr. Obama passed milestone after milestone —Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Iowa and New Mexico — people rolled spontaneously into the streets to celebrate what many described, with perhaps overstated if understandable exhilaration, a new era in a country where just 143 years ago, Mr. Obama, as a black man, could have been owned as a slave.
For Republicans, especially the conservatives who have dominated the party for nearly three decades, the night represented a bitter setback and left them contemplating where they now stand in American politics.
Mr. Obama and his expanded Democratic majority on Capitol Hill now face the task of governing the country through a difficult period: the likelihood of a deep and prolonged recession, and two wars. He took note of those circumstances in a speech that was notable for its sobriety and its absence of the triumphalism that he might understandably have displayed on a night when he won an Electoral College landslide.
“The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep,” said Mr. Obama, his audience hushed and attentive, with some, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, wiping tears from their eyes. “We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.” The roster of defeated Republicans included some notable party moderates, like Senator John E. Sununu of New Hampshire and Representative Christopher Shays of Connecticut, and signaled that the Republican conference convening early next year in Washington will be not only smaller but more conservative.
Mr. Obama will come into office after an election in which he laid out a number of clear promises: to cut taxes for most Americans, to get the United States out of Iraq in a fast and orderly fashion, and to expand health care.
In a recognition of the difficult transition he faces, given the economic crisis, Mr. Obama is expected to begin filling White House jobs as early as this week.
Who voted for Obama
Senator Barack Obama won the election by gaining an extraordinary level of support among young people, African-Americans and new voters, exit polls show.
Senator John McCain maintained his lead among older voters and evangelicals, but his lead among men evaporated.
The figures from the National Election exit poll, based on interviews with voters at polling stations around the country, show that Mr Obama succeeded in mobilising his key supporters.
And they suggest that the economy was overwhelmingly the most important issue for voters.
YOUNG VOTERS
Mr Obama had an unprecedented level of support among young people and new voters in the 2008 election.
He won the votes of those under 30 by an impressive 66% to 31%, much higher than in any previous election.
He also has a huge majority of those who voted for the first time, who supported him by 71% to 29%.
This compares to just a slight advantage that the Democrats had in this group in 2004, when John Kerry won new voters by 53% to 46%.
Mr McCain retained the Republican advantage among older voters but lost among the middle-aged, who had supported President George W Bush in 2004.
NON-WHITE VOTERS
Barack Obama has made a strong showing among women, exceeding the normal Democratic advantage, while fighting a virtually even battle among men, who went heavily Republican in 2004.
Mr Obama won 56% of the female vote, compared with 51% of women who voted for John Kerry last time.
And he was essentially tied among men, erasing the 55% to 45% advantage that President Bush enjoyed in 2004.
Larry Sabato, political science professor at the University of Virginia, says that the Democrat's appeal to women has been one of the most important keys to his success.
THE PALIN EFFECT
One group that Mr McCain has held on to are evangelical Christians, who make up about one quarter of the electorate.
This group voted by three-to-one for the Republicans despite attempts by Mr Obama to reach out to faith groups - little changed from the previous two elections.
Larry Sabato adds that Sarah Palin's nomination as vice-presidential candidate helped secure this group for Mr McCain.
However, she may have been a negative for his campaign as a whole.
Over 60% of those surveyed said she was not qualified to be president if necessary, compared with 38% who said she was.
IT'S THE ECONOMY
The exit polls suggest that the economy was by far the dominant concern in the election, with 62% citing it as the most important issue facing the US.
Only 10% cited Iraq and 9% terrorism, two issues that dominated the headlines one year ago, while 9% cited healthcare.
Asked what what they thought of the state of the economy, those who said it was in the direst straits were also the strongest backers of Mr Obama.
Larry Sabato says that, barring other factors, a struggling economy has been a strong predictor of success for the party that is out of power.
The enthusiasm gap
Perhaps the biggest factor in deciding the election was the enthusiasm gap - the difference between the intensity of feeling between McCain and Obama supporters.
One-third of the Obama voters were "excited" by the prospect of his victory, as opposed to just 14% of McCain voters.
That enthusiasm translated into more personal contacts, with twice as many Obama supporters having been contacted in person as McCain supporters.
And 80% of those contacted did in the end vote for the Democrat, suggesting targeting paid off.
The National Election Exit Poll is a sample of 10,500 voters surveyed on election day after they have left the polling booth on behalf of AP and the major US TV networks.
Senator John McCain maintained his lead among older voters and evangelicals, but his lead among men evaporated.
The figures from the National Election exit poll, based on interviews with voters at polling stations around the country, show that Mr Obama succeeded in mobilising his key supporters.
And they suggest that the economy was overwhelmingly the most important issue for voters.
YOUNG VOTERS
Mr Obama had an unprecedented level of support among young people and new voters in the 2008 election.
He won the votes of those under 30 by an impressive 66% to 31%, much higher than in any previous election.
He also has a huge majority of those who voted for the first time, who supported him by 71% to 29%.
This compares to just a slight advantage that the Democrats had in this group in 2004, when John Kerry won new voters by 53% to 46%.
Mr McCain retained the Republican advantage among older voters but lost among the middle-aged, who had supported President George W Bush in 2004.
NON-WHITE VOTERS
Barack Obama has made a strong showing among women, exceeding the normal Democratic advantage, while fighting a virtually even battle among men, who went heavily Republican in 2004.
Mr Obama won 56% of the female vote, compared with 51% of women who voted for John Kerry last time.
And he was essentially tied among men, erasing the 55% to 45% advantage that President Bush enjoyed in 2004.
Larry Sabato, political science professor at the University of Virginia, says that the Democrat's appeal to women has been one of the most important keys to his success.
THE PALIN EFFECT
One group that Mr McCain has held on to are evangelical Christians, who make up about one quarter of the electorate.
This group voted by three-to-one for the Republicans despite attempts by Mr Obama to reach out to faith groups - little changed from the previous two elections.
Larry Sabato adds that Sarah Palin's nomination as vice-presidential candidate helped secure this group for Mr McCain.
However, she may have been a negative for his campaign as a whole.
Over 60% of those surveyed said she was not qualified to be president if necessary, compared with 38% who said she was.
IT'S THE ECONOMY
The exit polls suggest that the economy was by far the dominant concern in the election, with 62% citing it as the most important issue facing the US.
Only 10% cited Iraq and 9% terrorism, two issues that dominated the headlines one year ago, while 9% cited healthcare.
Asked what what they thought of the state of the economy, those who said it was in the direst straits were also the strongest backers of Mr Obama.
Larry Sabato says that, barring other factors, a struggling economy has been a strong predictor of success for the party that is out of power.
The enthusiasm gap
Perhaps the biggest factor in deciding the election was the enthusiasm gap - the difference between the intensity of feeling between McCain and Obama supporters.
One-third of the Obama voters were "excited" by the prospect of his victory, as opposed to just 14% of McCain voters.
That enthusiasm translated into more personal contacts, with twice as many Obama supporters having been contacted in person as McCain supporters.
And 80% of those contacted did in the end vote for the Democrat, suggesting targeting paid off.
The National Election Exit Poll is a sample of 10,500 voters surveyed on election day after they have left the polling booth on behalf of AP and the major US TV networks.
McCain: 'We must work together'
Republican John McCain says he has spoken to Democrat Barack Obama and congratulated him on winning the US election.
Speaking of his disappointment he added "we must work together to get this country moving again".
Speaking of his disappointment he added "we must work together to get this country moving again".
Obama wins historic US election
Democratic Senator Barack Obama has been elected the first black president of the United States.
"It's been a long time coming, but tonight... change has come to America," the president-elect told a jubilant crowd at a victory rally in Chicago.
His rival John McCain accepted defeat, saying "I deeply admire and commend" Mr Obama. He called on his supporters to lend the next president their goodwill.
The BBC's Justin Webb says the result will have a profound impact on the US.
He says the American people have made two fundamental statements about themselves: that they are profoundly unhappy with the status quo, and that they are slamming the door on the country's racial past.
Mr Obama appeared with his family, and his running mate Joe Biden, before a crowd of tens of thousands in Grant Park, Chicago.
Many people in the vast crowd, which stretched back far into the Chicago night, wept as Mr Obama spoke.
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," he said.
He said he had received an "extraordinarily gracious" call from Mr McCain.
He praised the former Vietnam prisoner-of-war as a "brave and selfless leader".
"He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine," the victor said.
He had warm words for his family, announcing to his daughters: "Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House."
But he added: "Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. But America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there."
Hours after Mr Obama's victory was announced, crowds were still celebrating in Chicago and in Washington DC.
From red to blue
Mr Obama captured the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, before breaking through the winning threshold of 270 electoral college votes at 0400 GMT, when projections showed he had also taken California and a slew of other states.
Then came the news that he had also seized Florida, Virginia and Colorado - all of which voted Republican in 2004 - turning swathes of the map from red to blue.
Projected results have yet to be announced for the states of North Carolina and Missouri, but at 1100 GMT, Mr Obama's share of the popular vote stood at 52.3%, compared with Mr McCain's 46.4%.
"It's been a long time coming, but tonight... change has come to America," the president-elect told a jubilant crowd at a victory rally in Chicago.
His rival John McCain accepted defeat, saying "I deeply admire and commend" Mr Obama. He called on his supporters to lend the next president their goodwill.
The BBC's Justin Webb says the result will have a profound impact on the US.
He says the American people have made two fundamental statements about themselves: that they are profoundly unhappy with the status quo, and that they are slamming the door on the country's racial past.
Mr Obama appeared with his family, and his running mate Joe Biden, before a crowd of tens of thousands in Grant Park, Chicago.
Many people in the vast crowd, which stretched back far into the Chicago night, wept as Mr Obama spoke.
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," he said.
He said he had received an "extraordinarily gracious" call from Mr McCain.
He praised the former Vietnam prisoner-of-war as a "brave and selfless leader".
"He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine," the victor said.
He had warm words for his family, announcing to his daughters: "Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House."
But he added: "Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. But America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there."
Hours after Mr Obama's victory was announced, crowds were still celebrating in Chicago and in Washington DC.
From red to blue
Mr Obama captured the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, before breaking through the winning threshold of 270 electoral college votes at 0400 GMT, when projections showed he had also taken California and a slew of other states.
Then came the news that he had also seized Florida, Virginia and Colorado - all of which voted Republican in 2004 - turning swathes of the map from red to blue.
Projected results have yet to be announced for the states of North Carolina and Missouri, but at 1100 GMT, Mr Obama's share of the popular vote stood at 52.3%, compared with Mr McCain's 46.4%.
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