Obama Addresses Muslim World in Cairo Speech

President Barack Hussein Obama made a speech earlier today in Cairo addressing the Muslims of the world. Everyone knows that the man can speechify, and the script today was exceedingly well-crafted. From the cheers at the beginning when he gave the traditional Arabic greeting assalaamu alaykum to the final words, “And may God’s peace be upon you,” he hit just about every emotional note needed. His substance covered several main points that need to be addressed at much greater length than a 45-minute speech. Yet as he himself acknowledged, actions are more important than words.

The first few pages of the script covered his familiarity with Islam, its place in America and stereotypes about one another. Then, he got to the specifics: violent extremism, the Israeli-Palestinian mess, nukes, democracy, religious freedom, women's rights, and economic development. His approach was to spell out where America stands on each, to point out that in most places Islam doesn't disagree with America, and to be as even-handed as he could to avoid alienating the Muslim audience. He largely succeeded.

The over-arching theme in the speech was a re-dedication of America to multi-lateralism. After World War II, it would have been relatively easy for the US to use its economic and military preponderance of power unilaterally to pursue its own interests. Instead, the generation of 1945 decided to create a multi-lateral set of global institutions that actually sustained American dominance up until the millennium – then the unilateralist Busheviks undid most of that system. The US lacks the relative power it had in 1945, but by reverting to multi-lateralism, the rot can be stopped, or so the Obamaniacs believe.

Of course, what this Enlightenment-based journal thinks of the speech means little compared to what his audience of over a billion Muslims do. Reuters surveyed a handful of Muslims and got largely positive, but not flawless, reviews of the speech. For example, Nabil abu Rdainah, a spokesman for the Palestinian President, said, “His call for stopping settlement and for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and his reference to the suffering of Palestinians ... is a clear message to Israel that a just peace is built on the foundations of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital." Actually, Mr. Obama said nothing about Jerusalem as the capital. Still, Mr. Rdainah said, “President Obama's speech is a good start and an important step toward a new American policy.” That would appear to be a “Mission Accomplished” in as far as it goes.

On the matter of Iraq-Nam, Ali al-Dabbagh, a spokesman for the Green Zone government, said, “The speech was historic and important and reflects a positive direction for the new administration and it is a new start. The use of Koranic sayings plays a big part in a positive change of picture, but there is a necessity for action. The government of Iraq is comfortable with the clarity of the president in respecting commitments to Iraq and the timetable for withdrawal stipulated in the security pact. I think there is clear support of a right for a Palestinian state, and their right for a life, but Arabs are waiting for pressure to be exerted on Israel so it can stop its violations in Gaza and the West Bank.” However, Hazim al-Nuaimi of Baghdad University was less content, “He gave nothing new to Iraqis. He gave one promise, to respect the rights of minorities and work with consensus. In all he says, he tries to remove himself from all that happened in Iraq.” Well, he did oppose the war before it started – he is removed from all that happened. One speech can't fix everything.

Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah legislator in Lebanon said, “The Islamic world does not need moral or political sermons. It needs a fundamental change in American policy beginning from a halt to complete support for Israeli aggression on the region, especially on Lebanese and Palestinians, to an American withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan and a stop to its interference in the affairs of Islamic countries. The US administration bears the responsibility for the problems that Obama presented. Violence in the region, the source of which is the Zionist entity, American wars, and the attempts to plant rifts between sects is an American project. We have not seen any change in [US] policy toward the Palestinian cause."

Finally on Iran, Mohammad Marandi, head of North American Studies at Tehran University said, "With regard to Iran the tone is significantly more positive than before, compared to the previous [US] administration, though still in some aspects negative. But I think Iranians alongside the people of the region expect the same change that Obama was promising to the American people, for American policies in the Middle East region as well. America has to change. Talking is not enough. He can make a few more speeches but people are starting to ask: What are you going to change? The US has to re-evaluate its policies toward the region, whether toward Iran, or whether toward Palestine."

In short, it was a good start. Now, Mr. Obama has to deliver. As Paul Weller sings, "Words can't do what action does louder." Of course, so does the Islamic world. Time to roll up humanity's sleeves and get dirt on humanity's hands.

© Copyright 2009 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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