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I did not vote for Mr. Obama and am unlikely to vote for him in the next election.
I have to admit that his speech in Cairo and his follow-up in Germany amazed me. He's got the right stuff in terms of foriegn policy. The USA is lucky that he won his party's nomination.
Thanks for a great job!
His speech will get us attacked, His speech will go down as a great mistake. Oratory abilities do not make false ideologies great, they make it propaganda.
Thank God we have a president with the intelligence to handle delicate and complicated foreign policies issue finally. Obama clearly scared Osama into trying sqeeze into the news cycle and distract from the positive dialogue that Obama brings.
It's unfortunate that the non-thinking AM radio crowd can't actually pay attention enough to foreign policy to grasp this. Instead they continue to get their marching orders from extremist who entertain them on the radio.
I think the President hit it out of the park. No one with any sense can say that he did not address the concerns of the Muslim world with candor and a refershing level of (for an American president) nuance.
At the same time, he underlined Amerca's support for Israel and, more importantly, the rationale for that support. It was masterful of Mr. Obaamna to firmly call on Israel to halt the settlement expansion prior to the Cairo speech.
By emphasizing our commonalities, which exist on both the individual and community level, Mr. Obama said all that is possible for an American President to say to a population which is suspicious of American motives and held back by centuries of isolation and pervasive religious fundamentalism.
It was amusing to witness the carping by Muslim critics of the President on PBS last night. One was quite contemptuous of Mr. Obama for his ostensible support of the oppressive regimes of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The thought occurred to me that that critic would be hard-pressed to identify an Islmaic regime which is NOT oppressive and authoritarian. Mr. Obama picked two Muslim countries in the Middle East which for better or worse are the best allies we have. Rejecting their hospitality would have been both rude and counterproductive.
Personally, I think Mr. Obama was overly judicious in his critique of modern Islamic thought, restricting his negative remarks to references to such obvious things as terrorism and the unequal teatment of women.
All in all, Mr. Obama prepared for and delivered a masterful tour d'horizon. It is up to the Muslim world to take the next step and respond positively to this opening. They may not get another chance with this administration.
A final note: from Cairo and quotations from the Quran to Buchenwald and the laying of a wreath for the shoah vicitms with Elie Wiesel: Mr. Obama may be many things, but ignorant of symbolism he is not.
I for one am very impressed with this foray into statecraft by our young President.
I'm 14 minutes into President's Obama's speech in Cairo, and I have to say thus far, it's one of the best speeches I've seen.
It's not weak or lily-livered (he brought up 9/11 near the beginning) as some have suggested. He isn't candy coating anything; he's delivering salient points in an extremely effective manner.
For those of you who say "it's just words," the first step has to start out with words; words that can unite and bring people together. He is (or did) that very well. I haven't finished watching, but look forward to the rest of the speech.
Here's to hoping it's the first step in good things regarding world peace. I certainly wouldn't mind having 1 billion sane Muslims on our side.
The speech had some good points, but it also had many out of place and unnecessary comments, and I do not understand why they were made a part of his speech.
For example, when has it ever been a president's duty "... to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear" whether for Islam or for any other religion.
And why did he have to make this comment
"... the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it."
"I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal..."
Are there Americans who are trying to prevent women from wearing a hijab? Did we need to create a law to allow a person the freedom to wear certain clothes. Who in America is trying to deny women from covering their hair?????
Then again, he says this:
"Now let me be clear: issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world. "
Why does he praise the Middle East for women's rights, and then accuse Americans of not treating women as equals in America??
Statements like these have me scratching my head, why insinuate that America tramples women's rights, while not even mentioning the outrageous treatment of women in Egypt, where female genital mutilation is a common practice, and well over half of Egyptian women are illeterate.
It seems as though 0bama is supremely unable to compliment or praise America and its citizens unless he follows up the compliments or praise with a few backhanded slaps and kicks to the groin. It analogous with complimenting a woman on her evening gown and then asking her if she caught every branch as she fell out of the ugly tree.
0bama made a lot of good statements, but I'm puzzled why he felt the need to disparage Americans and our country throughout all his speeches.
The speech had some good points, but it also had many out of place and unnecessary comments, and I do not understand why they were made a part of his speech.
For example, when has it ever been a president's duty "... to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear" whether for Islam or for any other religion.
not his "duty" but a good reminder to say we should not fall for sterotyping of Islam
And why did he have to make this comment
"... the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it."
I recall new stories of children being harassed at schools for wearing the hijab and the parents went to court so they could wear and express their culture and religion, freely
"I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal..."
he is saying just because a woman wears a scarf doesn't mean she is less equal.
Are there Americans who are trying to prevent women from wearing a hijab? Did we need to create a law to allow a person the freedom to wear certain clothes. Who in America is trying to deny women from covering their hair?????
Then again, he says this:
"Now let me be clear: issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. an understatement
In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. but despite this, they still managed to elect women.
Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world. " my guess is he is talking about reproductive freedom/choice. equal pay, child care and health issues.
Why does he praise the Middle East for women's rights, and then accuse Americans of not treating women as equals in America??
Statements like these have me scratching my head, why insinuate that America tramples women's rights, while not even mentioning the outrageous treatment of women in Egypt, where female genital mutilation is a common practice, and well over half of Egyptian women are illeterate.
It seems as though 0bama is supremely unable to compliment or praise America and its citizens unless he follows up the compliments or praise with a few backhanded slaps and kicks to the groin. It analogous with complimenting a woman on her evening gown and then asking her if she caught every branch as she fell out of the ugly tree.
0bama made a lot of good statements, but I'm puzzled why he felt the need to disparage Americans and our country throughout all his speeches.
I heard not ONE disparaging word against our counrty
I heard not ONE disparaging word against our counrty
Its all about the context in which he inserts those comments.
Describing America as discriminating against women, by using a few obscure and extreme examples that i have not even heard of, while complimenting the Middle East, is a form of disparagement in my opinion.
My analogy fits, 0bama is incapable of complimenting America without caveats which describe us in harsh terms.
Its all about the context in which he inserts those comments.
Describing America as discriminating against women, by using a few obscure and extreme examples that i have not even heard of, while complimenting the Middle East, is a form of disparagement in my opinion.
My analogy fits, 0bama is incapable of complimenting America without caveats which describe us in harsh terms.
I re-read the speech because I did not see that take on it. I agree with what you say. I think he was trying to make points with them by making us look like we had issues with womens right while they were making great progress?
You have to remember that he does not have to make any brownie points with US citizens until just the 2nd half of his first term. He has to start immediately with the rest of the world. I don't think he cares as much about leaving a legacy with the US voter as he does with the world community. It is clear wher his priorities are, afterall he is a citizen of the world.
This is the Obama that people voted for so you will have to just grin and bare it until 2012.
Donks like Obama because he can stand pretty, read well and deliver a speech like a teacher's pet?
I want a Prez who can stand in a dark room with the nastiest of the planet's finest dictators and squeeze 'nads till they sing in seven keys ending with a screaming chorus of 'Uncle' in high C. Then I know we have a deal, and a leader.
I want a Prez who can stand in a dark room with the nastiest of the planet's finest dictators and squeeze 'nads till they sing in seven keys ending with a screaming chorus of 'Uncle' in high C. Then I know we have a deal, and a leader.
Who doesnt? Unfortunately, life =/= a video game
The same thing has to be conveyed in a different language.
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