Candidate Obama at the Wailing Wall (Summer 2008)From The New York Times:
CAIRO — President Obama’s decision to deliver a speech here next month has given significant encouragement to a once powerful ally that has grown increasingly frustrated over its waning regional influence and its inability to explain to its citizens why it remains committed to a Middle East peace process that has failed to produce a better life for Palestinians.
After eight years in which Egypt felt unappreciated and bullied by the Bush administration, Egyptian officials were gleeful about Cairo’s selection last week for the president’s address to the Muslim world. They said that it proved Egypt remained the capital of the Arab world and that it eased concerns that Washington might undermine its Arab allies in exchange for a grand deal with their rivals in Iran.
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My Comment: The problem with his speech is that I can almost predict what President Obama will be saying. What he will need to do is to go beyond the usual platitudes and the listing of desired goals and do something different and more substantive.
But will it have an
CAIRO — President Obama’s decision to deliver a speech here next month has given significant encouragement to a once powerful ally that has grown increasingly frustrated over its waning regional influence and its inability to explain to its citizens why it remains committed to a Middle East peace process that has failed to produce a better life for Palestinians.
After eight years in which Egypt felt unappreciated and bullied by the Bush administration, Egyptian officials were gleeful about Cairo’s selection last week for the president’s address to the Muslim world. They said that it proved Egypt remained the capital of the Arab world and that it eased concerns that Washington might undermine its Arab allies in exchange for a grand deal with their rivals in Iran.
Read more ....
My Comment: The problem with his speech is that I can almost predict what President Obama will be saying. What he will need to do is to go beyond the usual platitudes and the listing of desired goals and do something different and more substantive.
But will it have an
After eight years in which Egypt felt unappreciated and bullied by the Bush administration, Egyptian officials were gleeful about Cairo’s selection last week for the president’s address to the Muslim world. They said that it proved Egypt remained the capital of the Arab world and that it eased concerns that Washington might undermine its Arab allies in exchange for a grand deal with their rivals in Iran.
Read more ....
My Comment: The problem with his speech is that I can almost predict what President Obama will be saying. What he will need to do is to go beyond the usual platitudes and the listing of desired goals and do something different and more substantive.
But will it have an impact?
When he gives his speech next month, Lebanon will be having a government that is run by Hezbollah, Iran is closer to its nuclear weapon, and Iraqi violence will be increasing. As to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, both sides will still be far apart from any possible form of reconciliation, and if the King of Jordan is right, war clouds will be forming on the horizon.
Not an ideal environment to give a speech on Islam when Islam .... in particular radical Islam .... has no desire to listen.
Read more ....
My Comment: The problem with his speech is that I can almost predict what President Obama will be saying. What he will need to do is to go beyond the usual platitudes and the listing of desired goals and do something different and more substantive.
But will it have an impact?
When he gives his speech next month, Lebanon will be having a government that is run by Hezbollah, Iran is closer to its nuclear weapon, and Iraqi violence will be increasing. As to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, both sides will still be far apart from any possible form of reconciliation, and if the King of Jordan is right, war clouds will be forming on the horizon.
Not an ideal environment to give a speech on Islam when Islam .... in particular radical Islam .... has no desire to listen.