I have read this news in the New York Times , President elect Obama is planning to address the Islamic world with a speech in his first 100 days at the white house. Excellent move from Obama’s cabinet despite I doubt that it will have any effect after the announcement of his cabinet. For us there was no change by choosing people like Hilary and Bobby Gates but what you know , may be there will be change in the first 100 days .
Anyhow Obama knows that he is more popular than Bush in the Islamic world and thus he will use this popularity to enhance America’s damaged image. Already he should know that it is not only Bush that damaged America’s image in the Islamic world “surely he had the biggest share” ,it is an old accumulating thing from decades of unconditional support to Israel and conditional support to dictators in the region.
Now back to the main theme or rather question in the article “Where shall Obama say his expected speech ?? “ The search for an Islamic Capital that is not danger on his security and is still influential can be considered a dilemma.
To tell you the truth I was waiting to read the name of our capital Cairo in the report ,otherwise I would feel very sad , I feel that we are no longer important in the region. Still Cairo is Cairo ,the Jewel of Islam and the perfect secure capital for Obama.You got one of the biggest population in the Arab Islamic world.This made me happy because we are still considered important despite the fact Mubarak made us lose our position in the region. Ironically there is one obstacle in choosing Cairo that is also Mubarak and his dictatorship. Obama can neglect the fact that Mubarak is a dictator and choose Cairo as place for his message to the Islamic world but this send a wrong message in the world : He is still supporting the dictators of the Arab Islamic world. I think this is from the earliest indicator that Obama won’t be Mubarak friendly.
Well it is not only Egypt that is ruled by a dictator ,most of the Islamic world is ruled by dictators whether are with or against The U.S.
Some people especially the Nationalists will not welcome Obama just like they did not welcome Nixon, I respect their view and totally understand it but I look from the way that we lost a lot from our position as a leading influential country in the region. I do not know how to explain , it is not about supporting Obama but about knowing your country is still considered an important player in the region.Lately I feel that we are so weak thanks to Mubarak. Mubarak took Egypt and it was leading Country from Sadat and he managed to alienate us more than Sadat and the time of the Arab boycott. It is not about being a puppet in the hands of U.S this time ,it is about delivering a message to the Islamic world. Of course because we are ally we can be considered as biased.
Seriously it is a dilemma ,you need an influential Islamic democratic country that is widely respected by the world and the Islamic world and not considered a puppet in the hands of the Americans to send from it a message to the Islamic world
Of course now in my mind I believe that Obama can say his speech in Qatar as the new face of change in the Arab Islamic Gulf world !! Qatar our little new rival but again it does not fit the profile , it is a puppet in the end.
Anyhow if Obama wants to say a speech in Cairo to addressing the Islamic world in Peace ,then he will be mostly welcomed.
unfortunately it looks like it might be the boy king's hashemite kingdom, as jordan has become the biggest power broker behind S.A.
ReplyDeleteon the bright side hilary's right hand woman is a muslim of paki/indian decent.
@anonymous, but Jordan does not have a great influence in the Islamic Sunni world
ReplyDeletewell I won't count on Hilary's aide already she got her share from dirty rumors
Selecting Cairo, for example, for a summer Olympics is a prestigious global award. Selecting Cairo as a podium for Obama to address the Muslim word is something else. The issue here, first and foremost, depends on what will be Obama’s message. Is he going to moderate US foreign policy towards muslims and Middle East, or will he try to influence the region to meet US democratic expectations. Many members of his circle believes in localizing the problem of radical Islam to the muslim world at large. That’s is to incite Muslim societies to eradicate radicalism internally, instead of the west facing the consequencies. But a genuine diffuse of the clash of civilizations requires the willingness of US to change and revise foreign policy. Based on what we saw recently (Hillary etc.) there is a doubt Obama will deliver on this aspect.
ReplyDeleteObama’s popularity and black face doesn’t mater, but his message does. This is the reason for coining the term ‘Uncle Tom’.
i don't think many americans have thought through the question of whether hillary's selection means we are going to continue to blindly support israel--but i will tell you that it will be politically challenging for obama to engage with hamas.
ReplyDeletein the runup to the 2010 congressional elections republicans will try to paint obama as the president who is "losing" the iraq war by withdrawing...and they will use any engagement with hamas as a pretext to proclaim him "soft on terrorists". (you may recall how they tried to make him into a "terrorist" based on his middle name...)
i forgot to mention...is it possible rabat would be the city he chooses?
ReplyDelete@anonymous, good point but I have the feeling that in the first 100 days Obama won't be like Bush, he can convince you that there will be moderate policy towards Muslim world and yet next day he will continue in imposing the American agenda
ReplyDelete@fake consultant, Rabat is a French influence city
If you remember Bush tried to take over the French control in this area but Chirac and after him Sarko stood against him and even Sarko went to areas no ever thought about like the Gulf "French army base in UAE !!?? who could ever think ??"
already Obama repeated the same talk about Iran
but this terrorist talk was even worse during the elections ,it is used , I do not know who will convince with except their own supporters who gave them their vote