For Cambodians, McCain a Familiar Face
By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original re****t from Wa****ngton
13 May 2008
Arizona senator John McCain is no stranger to Cambodians. But will
they know him as president? His reputation and experience have earned
the senator a lot of attention from American voters, and many are
convinced he will be next in the White House.
=93Don=92t tell me we cannot make our country stronger and the world
safer,=94 he said recently, having secured the nomination of the
Republican party to run for president. =93We can. We must. And when I am
president, we will.=94
McCain=92s messages of democracy hit home for many, and Cambodians
remember his strong stance against the regime of Prime Minister Hun
Sen.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy called McCain a good man, and said he
could push for the FBI to release a re****t on the 1997 grenade attack
on opposition sup****ters, a re****t that has been mired in secrecy.
McCain was also likely to push for human rights, Sam Rainsy said.
=93Mr. John McCain is a candidate who understands well the democratic
process in Cambodia and always sup****ts democrats in Cambodia,=94 Sam
Rainsy said. =93I understand that if Mr. John McCain becomes president,
the US really will pay more attention to Cambodia than ever.=94
Cambodians recognize him above the other two candidates, senators
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, said Nhiek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec=92s
secretary-general.
=93He knows Cambodia very well and has a good connection with Cambodian
leaders,=94 Nhiek Bun Chhay said.
Cambodian People=92s Party lawmaker Cheam Yiep applauded McCain=92s
reputation and said he was the most likely to help people in Southeast
Asia.
Chanly Kuch, a Cambodian voter in Maryland, said McCain may know about
Cambodia, but he has not shown yet how his policies differ from the
current president, George W. Bush.
Dr. Samuel Nuon, a Cambodian voter in Virginia, called McCain a hero
of the nation.
=93I believe he will continue to help protect Cambodian freedom,=94 Nuon
said. =93Frankly speaking,=94 said Koul Panha, executive director of the
Committee for Free and Fair Elections, =93in foreign policy, in
intervening to help countries achieve democracy, freedom, to get out
of dictator****ps and communism, he has done a lot.=94
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