This [US election] year is different. There is relatively little attention to issues outside America’s borders – only four percent of Americans “consider foreign affairs much of an issue in this year’s campaign” according to Foreign Policy.com. The sluggish economy – taxes, unemployment, deficits, thorny domestic issues and “personality” questions dominate the campaigns. With the backdrop of scarce attention being paid to Saudi Arabia and broader Middle East issues it is more difficult to paint a picture of the candidates’ positions, especially the challengers, but the outcome of the election will be no less important to America’s challenges in the region as a result of the dearth of discussion.
