**UPDATE** In summary -- Obama began compellingly, but somewhere in the later half the speech began to drag, its thrust lost in rhetoric that was at best earnest, at worst hackneyed. There were other weaknesses: he asked Arabs and Muslims not to be imprisoned by history, but at the same time justified America's support for Israel with evocations of the excesses of the past. Critics will also have expected sterner stuff on women's issues and on democracy in the Arab world, both of which Obama treated swiftly.
Nevertheless, after eight years of arrogance and error, the speech should go some way in convincing many people around the world that Obama's administration is serious about rehabilitating its role on the global stage. Melding ideas and detail with his typical fluency, Obama was the picture of a cool, informed leader. His systematic parsing of the issues also promised an energetic approach to policy-making. Of course, Obama will be judged by his accomplishments more than his words, but as he said early on, the goal of his speech was to shift perceptions. The audience of elite students in Cairo University gave him a resounding ovation; how his speech fared in dustier parts of the "Arab and Muslim world" will be the better measure of its success.
1303 in Cairo Less than ten minutes to go ahead of one of the most anticipated speeches in recent memory (Read Nader Hashemi's build-up on openDemocracy). President Barack Obama has braved criticism from many fronts in his bid to speak directly to the "Muslim world". How will he spin US involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict? Will he make a dig at his host, Hosni Mubarak, and other American-backed dictators? Will he apologise for the gross blunders of invasion and torture? Stay tuned for live updates and commentary.
1310 And we're off in Cairo University. Takes Obama a few seconds to speak in Arabic ("shukraan"). He now parses the history of relations between "Islam" and the "west", and accounts for American Islamophobia.
1316 "America and Islam are not exclusive... they share common principles." Nation-state is akin to transcendental global faith? Mohammad Iqbal must be rolling in his grave.
1317 Shout out to the Koran! Took seven minutes.
1320 The historian in me is pleased: Obama mentions that it was Morocco that first recognised the independent thirteen colonies. Good detail. Less impressed by paeans to Islamic learning fuelling the Renaissance. Neverthless, this is typical Obama on good form, moving smoothly from rich theme to illuminating fact.
1323 Obama subtly distinguishes the US from the secularists of Europe; the US protects the veil and the hijab, maintains a mosque in every state, and punishes religious intolerance.
1327 Human history, Obama says, is a record of self-interest, but not anymore. We are now in an era of interdependence, "our progress must be shared". Yet there's steel here: "we must face these tensions squarely". He's warmed up.
1330 He now defends military engagement in Afghanistan, playing a bit to the home audience. Faint echoes of Bush in the evocation of a coalition of "46 countries."
Time for a lovely quote from the Koran: "Whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind."
1334 Describes the Iraq war as one of "choice", not necessity. He doesn't apologise or strongly condemn the invasion, but reaffirms commitment to diplomacy and Iraqi sovereignty, and spells out a timeline of withdrawal. All troops out by 2012.
1335 "Unequivocal" about stopping torture and closure of Guantanamo. He's covered most of the bases. Israel-Palestine up next.
1336 "America's bond with Israel is unbreakable." He firmly backs the need for the Israeli state, reminding viewers that he's going to visit Buchenwald after Cairo. A bit too baldly strategic for my liking.
1340 Reaffirms commitment to two-state solution, and like the good doctor he is, lays out prescriptions. Compares the history of African American resistance to slavery and bigotry and nonviolent resistance to apartheid in South Africa to the struggle in Palestinian, arguing that violence is not the way. Many Israelis will bristle at that. Strong of Obama to make the parallel. He's now slamming settlements, and demanding that Israelis must make life more livable for Palestinians. He also demands more compromise from Arab states.
1344 "We will say in public what we say in private." Only Obama can sound credible saying that.
1346 On to Iran. Recognises US involvement in the overthrow of Mossadegh in 1953, and subsequent decades of mistrust. But now it is no time to be beholden to the past: "we are ready to move ahead without any preconditions." Urges Tehran to come to the table.
1350 To the meat of the matter: the issue of democracy ("not an American idea, but a human right") in the Arab world. Are you watching, Hosni?
1351 Takes a dig at both autocrats and neo-cons by affirming that elections alone don't a democracy make.
1353 He's advocating "freedom of religion", and doing well to mention the religious diversity of the Arab world.
Delivers another rebuke to the likes of Turkey and France, that would prevent women from wearing Muslim garb.
1355 Excellent move: he separates the issue of women's dress (above) from women's rights. Eat your heart out, Martin Amis, Jack Straw et al.
1358 "There need not be contradictions between development and tradition." We've returned to opening theme, of moving forward and closer together while remaining rooted (and respecting each other's roots).
1401 A litany of initiatives and partnerships that will tighten cooperation in a blizzard of areas (lost track) between the US and Muslim-majority countries. Obama does soft power.
1403 We've reached the denouement. Fluffy stuff that rises above the bile of "clash of civilisations", but it's still fluffy.
1406 Ends with a comp lit lesson; Obama paraphrases the Koran, Torah and Bible, drawing out their common message of peace. He stumbles over his last line; saying "May God be upon you" instead of "May peace be upon you". The audience doesn't care, as students raucously take up an Obama chant.
Comments
Interesting that he describes the Middle East as the region where Islam was first "revealed"
disappointed he's sticking to line that palestinians must "abandon violence" without saying the same of Israel. Will he say that Israel must abandon violence? That's the test.
I think Pres Obama was pointing out that one's doctrine, whether religious or policital, cannot be the violent destruction of another. He clearly alludes to the fact that there are times for violence (Al Queda, WW2...). Only peaceful recognition, mutual respect, and acceptance of both our differences and our similarities can succeed.
I thought the speech was positive and balanced. It gives Muslims around the world the opportunity to see a different side of American government. I hope and pray it is a door opener for future progress in west and Muslim relations.
Jim Kennedy
TheBlessedNetwork.com
To Obama, Muslim world is synonymous with Arab world.
He claims to reach out to the Muslim world whilst promoting the drone attacks which have left 2 million people feeling their homes - the biggest population displacement since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. He shrugs that off like it's nothing; does not mention it, denies it is America's fault, that everything which happens in that region is "neccessary", and that it is only on the head of the Taliban, and the Taliban alone; while he simulatenously lecturing the "Muslim world" about the hatefulness of denying the Holocaust.
Mr Obama has done something amazing. He has created an entitely new art form of hypocrisy; the seductive kind.
Obama speech is a good start for exploring ourselves in the surrounding perspectives in which we live globaly. We need to realise our real visions which might not be the same but will help us understand each others. Obamas spoke about the symptoms of the problem, e.g. the violence and mistrust but not about the reason behind the global phenomenon we are living. However his final conclusion of the need to get nearer of each other goes in the right way.
I think the real reason behind our disputes and conflicts resides in the differences of the cultural and scientific levels between the different countries and peoples. Unfortunately the cultural and scientific gab is increasing in spite of all the previous efforts. These differences generate ill conception, misconduct and pathogenic attitudes on both sides. On the developed side it may be the complex of superioirity which tend to eliminates others by adhering to and monopolizing progress and power, On the underdeveloped part, it may be the complex of inferiority which tends to eliminate the domination of the powerful party by violence and through reverting to old eras in the history.
What we really need to overcome such spiny situation is to seriously approach cultures in replacing competition by cooperation and putting special responsibility of the developed party not to give food or arm aids to the underdevelped party, but to bring it to its cultural and scientific levels without eliminating its identity.
Post new comment