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PRESIDENT OBAMA’S MIDDLE EAST EXPEDITION
JUN 15, 2009 - 3:50AM PDT
by Paul Rockower
Few stories have caught the scope of attention and imagination of both global public and press as President Barack Obama's recent foray into the complicated landscape that is the Middle East. Coverage and commentary was ubiquitous in all corners of the globe in the run-up to the president's visit to Riyadh and Cairo and his speech at Cairo University. This Media Monitor Report examines the full scope of coverage of President Obama's trip to the Middle East, his vaunted Cairo speech and the public diplomacy implementation and implications of the Middle East expedition by the new American president. Setting the Stage As President Obama's visit to the Middle East drew closer, coverage – which was intense from the outset – hit a crescendo and punditry reached a fevered pitch as commentators of all stripes weighed in on what the American president would, should—or shouldn't say, or do, on his trip. A week prior to Obama's Cairo visit, former U.S. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy James Glassman teamed up with former Deputy National Security Advisor Juan Zarate to pen a prescription in the Boston Globe related to "What Obama Should Tell Muslims," and how Obama could counter the narrative that the "West is at war with Islam" as he was "uniquely placed to recast the way American power and influence are viewed." As an announcement was made on May 28 that President Obama would be adding a stop to meet with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah prior to his Cairo visit, commentators in the West and Arab world picked through various reasons for the brief Saudi Arabia sojourn. Middle East media authority, Mark Lynch, highlighted the various waves of responses to news of Obama's Saudi stop in his Foreign Policy blog. He noted that responses first focused on the intra-Arab divisions and rivalries, then turned to the greater political significance his Riyadh meeting related to either gaining greater Saudi involvement or concessions in the Saudi/Arab Peace Initiative, or toward support for either engagement or confrontation with Tehran. This sentiment was echoed in the editorial by London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi's Chief Editor Abdel-Beri Atwan, who speculated that "something urgent prompted the changing of the program of the American president to consult with the officials of Riyadh before delivering his promised speech at Cairo University," and pointed to either of the two aforementioned issues of Israel or Iran. [translation courtesy of Mideast Wire] It seemed as if "Middle East experts" poured out of the woodwork to offer prognostications, suggestions and advice for President Obama. Among many others, the Brookings Institution and The New York Times published commentary from Middle East scholars and policy makers in the U.S. and Muslim world on what exactly Obama should say in Cairo, and what the region wanted to hear. Meanwhile a plethora of articles appeared detailing the "great" or "high" expectations that the Muslim world had for his Cairo address, such as a Huffington Post piece by esteemed pollster James Zogby, as well as one by Dan…... FULL TEXT
Post-Speech Reactions — International
Our President in Cairo: Muslims Listened. Did America?
(Huffington Post, 5 Jun 2009)
"When all other means of communication fail, try words." I walked by this anonymous quotation every day in grad school -- stuck on a cork bulletin board. Now it makes sense. For the past 8 years, our bad attitude made us really unpopular. President Obama is out to change this reputation.
In Cairo, a Qualified Success
(National Review Online, 5 Jun 2009)
Barack Obama’s election had the potential to be the nation’s most consequential act of public diplomacy since the Marshall Plan. The story of his rise highlighted the openness of American society; his personal connection to Islam set him up as a powerful spokesman to a part of the world that bedevils and threatens us; and as a decisive break from the hated George W. Bush, he represented a fresh start when the world yearned for one.
Obama's Speech Strikes a Chord in India
(Mangalorean.com, 5 Jun 2009)
President Barack Obama's stirring speech at the Cairo University struck a chord in India, home to the world's second largest Muslim population, with academicians and intellectuals seeing in it a new beginning by Washington to repair the US' strained relations with the Muslim world. "It is an attempt on Obama's part to build a coalition of Arab-Muslim nations. Cairo has the perfect blend of modern and traditional Muslims," said Jayalakshmi, a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
The Cairo Appeal
(The Washington Post, 5 Jun 2009)
His address in Cairo offered an eloquent case for American values and global objectives -- and it looked to be a skillful use of public diplomacy in a region where America's efforts to explain itself have often been weak.
Americans Should Realize Diversity of Muslim Voices
(Detroit News, 5 Jun 2009)
The United States must focus once again on the arts as a meaningful way to promote stronger cultural engagement and, ultimately, to find new channels of communication with the Muslim world. Doing so will show that relations need not be defined only through political conflict. Rather, there is now an opportunity to define connections between America and the Muslim world by sharing the richness and complexity of Muslim artistic expressions -- as a vital step in finding grounds for mutual respect.
Our View on Obama vs. Osama: U.S. Gains Ground in Battle for Muslim Hearts and Minds
(USA Today, 5 Jun 2009)
Both men were appealing to the same audience: the Islamic world in general and the Middle East in particular. And neither was playing from a position of advantage. Bin Laden has been steadily losing popularity in Muslim nations in recent years, judging from polls, and he can have no greater fear than that downtrodden Arabs are turning away from his violent, medieval vision.
Breaching the Firewall
(CPD Blog, 5 Jun 2009)
U.S. government international communicators shifted into max overdrive from both sides of that protective "firewall," to report on what may become known as one of the great White House public diplomacy efforts ever.
Obama and the Muslims
(Middle East Strategy at Harvard (MESH), 5 Jun 2009)
The following MESH members responded to an invitation to comment on the speech: Michele Dunne, Bernard Heykal, Josef Joffe, Mark N. Katz, Mark T. Kimmitt, Martin Kramer, Walter Laqueur, Michael Mandelbaum, Michael Rubin, Harvey Sicherman, Philip Carl Salzman, Raymond Tanter, and Michael Young.
Statement of Purpose
(The Times of India, 6 Jun 2009)
Welcome as Obama's efforts are to reduce the mutual suspicions that Muslims in the Arab world and Americans share, the Muslim world must not be seen as a monolithic entity. To be fair, Obama did attack frontally the idea of a clash of civilisations, and emphasised how much Islam and America share.
The Cairo Speech: Arab Muslim Voices
(Opendemocracy.net, 8 Jun 2009)
Large numbers did listen to or watch the broadcast, often grouped together in cafes or conference rooms. The event brought Arabs from Morocco to Iraq together and captured their attention in a way that is usually reserved for major sporting events - or the start of a war.
The Difference Between Bush's "Freedom Agenda" and Obama's "Support for Human Rights"
(Huffington Post, 8 Jun 2009)
Now that the dust has settled on President Obama's speech in Cairo it's possible to discern the outlines of the new administration's human rights and democracy promotion strategy… the differences with the Bush administration's approach were apparent in what President Obama said, and what he didn't say in Cairo.
Strength on Display: The President in Cairo
(American Security Project (The Flash Point Blog), 9 Jun 2009)
President Obama’s speech was so effective because it was an American President, displaying an appreciation of Arab and Islamic contributions to global history, acknowledging American faults with humility, and seeking to improve the collective well-being of all.
Obama of Arabia — Domestic
Welcome
(Saudi Gazette, 4 Jun 2009)
Saudi Arabia rolled out red carpet to welcome US President Barack Obama, who arrived in Riyadh Wednesday on his maiden visit, en route to Cairo to deliver a much-heralded speech. “As I take this trip and will be visiting Cairo tomorrow I thought it was very important to come to the cradle of Islam and seek His Majesty’s counsel,” Obama said.
Obama in Saudi On First Leg of Mideast Tour
(Al Arabiya, 3 Jun 2009)
American President Barack Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on his first stop of his regional Middle East mission, where he would seek Arab backing for his bid to revive peace moves while the U.S. adopted a firmer tone with its ally Israel.
Obama Holds Saudi Talks
(Al Jazeera, 4 Jun 2009)
Barack Obama has met King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh as he prepares to make a much-anticipated speech in Cairo aimed at repairing US relations with the Muslim world. King Abdullah had been expected to express his worries that Obama's diplomatic outreach to Iran may damage Riyadh's diplomatic strength, diplomats and analysts said, and urge Obama to increase pressure on Israel over the building of settlements
Obama Visits Saudi King in Bid To Open Muslim Dialogue
(Gulf News, 4 Jun 2009)
President Barack Obama praised the United States' long strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and said his visit was to seek King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz's advice before making his much-heralded speech to the Islamic world in Cairo.
Obama Seeks Closer Saudi Ties
(Arab News, 4 Jun 2009)
King Abdullah thanked Obama for visiting Saudi Arabia and said, “The visit was not surprising for the two countries because the US is a friend and an ally of Saudi Arabia since the days of the late King Abdul Aziz and President Franklin D. Roosevelt.”
Obama of Arabia — International
King Abdullah Greets Obama in Saudi Arabia
(The Washington Post, 3 Jun 2009)
President Obama arrived Wednesday in this desert capital bedecked with American flags and the green banner of the Saudi kingdom, saying he wanted to launch a five-day trip to the Middle East and Europe in "the place Islam began."
Obama on the Nile — Domestic
A Good Muslim-World News Cycle For Obama
(The Atlantic, 4 Jun 2009)
In coverage leading up to President Obama's speech in Cairo tomorrow, Middle East newspapers and TV stations--some of them government run, some of them censored--are posing the speech as an opportunity to improve relations, separating Obama from his predecessor, and touting Obama's perceived toughness on Israel. In short, the coverage was good from Obama's standpoint.
Vox Pop: Obama's Words Debated
(Al Jazeera, 4 Jun 2009)
Barack Obama, the US president, has delivered a landmark speech in Egypt's capital to hundreds of students and dignitaries at Cairo University. Though his intended audience was the Muslim community, people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds listened in. This is what some students and academics had to say.
Some Arabs Inspired, Others Unimpressed After Obama's Speech
(Gulf News, 4 Jun 2009)
Arab intellectual reaction to Obama's address fell on a broad spectrum ranging from hopeful and inspired to critical and unimpressed.
Time for Action, Mr President
(Khaleej Times, 4 Jun 2009)
Are the winds of change indeed sweeping the Middle East, or is it my hyperactive imagination coupled with my Obamania that is playing tricks? Ahead of President Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, a Gallup opinion poll has reported a significant turnaround in the Muslim world’s perception of America since Obama’s election.
Obama in Cairo: An Opportunity to Restore Faith
(Khaleej Times, 4 Jun 2009)
Obama’s Cairo speech is his opportunity to demonstrate that the United States is burying the American triumphalism of the past eight years once and for all. It is a chance to convince the world that we have renounced the false prophets who claim that we always know best or that we can impose our way of life on another society, and to show that we are ready to listen to and work with others.
Obama Cites Quran To Reach Muslims From Egypt
(Al Arabiya, 4 Jun 2009)
Likely to stir the emotions of Muslims everywhere, the president started his speech by greeting the room the Islamic way and went on to repeatedly quote from the Quran much to the delight of his audience who constantly interupted him with applause.
Arab Press Demands Obama End Israel "Bias"
(Al Arabiya, 4 Jun 2009)
Egypt's press called on Barack Obama to end the United States' "blind bias" towards Israel, as the U.S. president arrived in Cairo where he will make a much-anticipated address to the world's Muslims.
Obama Seeks New start With Muslims
(Al Jazeera, 4 Jun 2009)
Immediately after the wide-ranging speech, Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said it helped undo "the harm done by the Bush administration" "[The speech] was about willingness to engage in soft power while keeping the military option alive," Marwan said.
'Israel shares Obama's hope for peace'
(The Jerusalem Post, 4 Jun 2009)
Israeli President Shimon Peres praised Obama, saying that his "speech was a speech filled with a vision, [it was] a brave speech which promises hard work for all of the sides involved in advancing the peace process in the Middle East.
Great Expectations
(The Jerusalem Post, 4 Jun 2009)
It was with mixed feelings that we watched President Barack Obama deliver his extraordinary speech to the Muslim and Arab worlds in Cairo yesterday. Critics will see the speech as incredibly naive. Yet it was also the most meaningful and coherent attempt by an American leader since 9/11 to dissociate the world's 1.5 billion Muslims from demagogic elites preaching worldwide jihad and hatred of non-believers.
Obama on the Nile — International
Obama on the Nile
(The New York Times, 11 Jun 2008)
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Democrats' nomination of Obama as their candidate for president has done more to improve America's image abroad — an image dented by the Iraq war, President Bush's invocation of a post-9/11 "crusade," Abu Ghraib, Guantánamo Bay and the xenophobic opposition to Dubai Ports World managing U.S. harbors — than the entire Bush public diplomacy effort for seven years.
Mount Everest in Cairo
(CPD Blog, 4 Jun 2009)
It may come to be known as the “new beginnings” speech. The speech that Barack Obama delivered today at Cairo University was probably not his best speech, but it may be his most important and most widely disseminated ever.
Arab Students Respond to Obama
(The New York Times, 4 Jun 2009)
The speech that President Barack Obama gave at Cairo University was very interesting and refreshing. It was definitely a big break from the tone and style that President Bush employed in addressing the Arab world.
Humility Or Humiliation?
(The Atlantic , 4 Jun 2009)
Frankly, I think the last decade or so has shown the extreme limits of hard power and the desperate need for more public diplomacy, national re-branding and some shrewd maneuvering to advance the interests of the West and to help avoid what could be a catastrophic era in global politics.
A Good Muslim-World News Cycle For Obama
(The Atlantic, 4 Jun 2009)
In coverage leading up to President Obama's speech in Cairo tomorrow, Middle East newspapers and TV stations--some of them government run, some of them censored--are posing the speech as an opportunity to improve relations, separating Obama from his predecessor, and touting Obama's perceived toughness on Israel. In short, the coverage was good from Obama's standpoint.
Obama’s Cairo Two-Step
(The Root, 4 Jun 2009)
He doesn’t speak Arabic, Farsi or Urdu, but Obama communicates in a language understood in the Middle East. While the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, and U.S. support for Israel will continue, Obama will seek to shift Muslim public opinion by putting something new on the bargaining table: respect
Varying Responses to Speech in Mideast Highlight Divisions
(New York Times, 4 Jun 2009)
President Obama’s carefully balanced message was greeted warmly by his immediate audience in Cairo on Thursday and in some other parts of the Mideast, but there was also dismissiveness and frustration.
Obama Speaks Before 3,000, Addresses a Billion
(GlobalPost, 4 Jun 2009)
The level of interest in this speech, though, has grown to a fever pitch in Cairo in recent days. For security reasons, the city is virtually shut down. Roads are quiet and businesses empty. Egyptians everywhere crowded into cafes and apartments to watch the address.
Obama's Outreach: The View From Dubai
(GlobalPost, 4 Jun 2009)
On the dusty outskirts of this glistening city, an army of laborers from all over the Muslim world will trudge back to the crowded dormitories where they scratch out an existence and tune in via satellite channels to hear the message of “a new beginning” that President Barack Obama delivered to the Muslim world.
West Africans React to Obama Speech
(VOA, 4 Jun 2009)
Many Muslims in West Africa watched U.S. President Barack Obama's speech from Cairo as he called for a new beginning between the United States and the world's one billion Muslims, to end what he says is a cycle of "suspicion and discord." The U.S. Embassy in Mauritania invited people to watch President Barack Obama's speech live in an embassy conference room.
Obama Speech Gets Solid Reaction World-Wide
(Wall Street Journal, 4 Jun 2009)
From Cairo to Baghdad, Arabs watching President Obama's speech said he won their admiration for peppering the address with the type of moral message Muslims receive at weekly homilies as well as the straightforward talk that they rarely get from their own leadership. "He seems like a committed and serious man," said Ahmed Farouk, a 25-year-old movie producer who sat in an Egyptian coffee house a few minutes drive from Cairo University, where Mr. Obama spoke. "Just one of him is worth 10 George Bushes."
Cairo Speech: Obama As a One-man United Nations
(The Telegraph, 4 Jun 2009)
Typically, Barack Obama's speech in Cairo, though billed as an exercise in bridge building with the Muslim world, held something for everyone. It was Obama at his preternaturally evenhanded best, though at 55 minutes, he had ample time to please more than one audience.
The President's Cairo Speech: A "New Beginning"
(Whitehouse.gov, 4 Jun 2009)
I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles -- principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.
Kenya Welcomes Obama's Speech to Muslim World
(VOA, 4 Jun 2009)
Kenyans welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama's address to the Muslim world on Thursday, although some Muslim leaders said they will watch closely to see if his words are followed by action.
Reaction in America Enthusiastic, With Caveats
(The Washington Post, 4 Jun 2009)
President Obama's Cairo address to the Muslim communities of the world reverberated back in the United States, where some Muslim leaders hailed it as a breakthrough, rebalancing international relationships, as well as an affirmation of American Muslims. Others thought the president could have gone further.
Does it play in Delhi? And Rabat, Jakarta, Kabul and elsewhere in the Muslim world?
(GlobalPost, 4 Jun 2009)
GlobalPost correspondents living in the Muslim world watched the speech with locals — when they could find locals watching, and in many places they couldn't. Here are links to their reports and some excerpts.
Obama's Preamble in Cairo
(The Washington Post, 4 Jun 2009)
The Cairo speech was the classic Obama: Let us talk honestly about our differences; let us respect each other; let us find the common ground on which we can solve problems.
Pakistanis Praise Obama Cairo Speech But Await Specifics
(VOA, 4 Jun 2009)
A group of Pakistanis who watched President Barack Obama's Cairo speech to Muslims are praising the American leader for his skill as a public speaker. But after seeing the speech on television at VOA's Islamabad bureau, they say it lacked specific policy details that they consider crucial to improving U.S. relations with Pakistan.
An Iranian Family is Impressed, But Words on Women's Rights Divide Them
(Los Angeles Times, 4 Jun 2009)
The family is watching the broadcast in English on the BBC. They are struck by Obama's quoting of Quranic passages. "He knows the rules of juxtaposition and knows what to say and how to say it," Khamoushi says.
Obama's Words Have a Familiar Ring in Turkey
(Los Angeles Times, 5 Jun 2009)
For Turks, President Obama's address to the Islamic world today had a familiar ring. Two months ago, on his first official visit to a predominantly Muslim country, the U.S. president voiced a similar message of reconciliation in a landmark speech to the Turkish parliament.
In a Baghdad Barbershop, Obama's Words Met With Skepticism
(Los Angeles Times, 4 Jun 2009)
Dabagh was looking for an apology from Obama for America's actions in Iraq, though he added that he didn't want U.S. troops to leave until they had thrown out the current band of politicians they have helped empower since 2003. "If someone throws you in the sea, should they let you drown or should they bring you to shore?" he asked.
The Cairo Speech: A Quick Analysis
(CPD Blog, 4 Jun 2009)
Some early analyses of President Obama's historic address to the Muslim world in Cairo today have noted that some of Obama's professions of unity with the Muslim world merely echo words President Bush said after 9/11. The implication is that deeds, not words, matter.
My First Take On The Speech
(Foreign Policy, 4 Jun 2009)
Marc Lynch: President Obama's speech today in Cairo met the bar he set for himself. In an address modeled after the Philadelphia speech on race, he forewent soaring oratory in favor of a thoughtful, nuanced and challenging reflection on America's relations with the Muslims around the world.
Across Middle East, a Sense of Possibility After Obama Speech
(Christian Science Monitor, 4 Jun 2009)
For Khalil al-Anani, President Barack Obama's speech today could signal an historic turning point. "Today might be the 12th of September, 2001, because I think he closed that chapter of 9/11 and called for a new chapter in U.S. relations with the Muslim world," says Mr. Anani, a political analyst at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.
President Obama's full "New Beginnings" speech (Video)
(Whitehouse.gov, 5 Jun 2009)
The full President Obama "New Beginnings" speech at Cairo University
Obama? Not on Iran's airwaves
(GlobalPost, 5 Jun 2009)
And with rapprochement seemingly a real possibility under the Obama administration, relations with the West have increasingly emerged as a hot issue in the impending Iranian presidential election, scheduled for June 12. In particular, incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been put on the defensive.
Post-Speech Reactions — Domestic
Obama's Speech
(Al Arabiya, 5 Jun 2009)
Many people might treat Obama’s speech as an international event par excellence, or as merely an exercise in propaganda. Nonetheless, those who were justifiably and understandably impressed by what he said, or those who were apprehensive due to their hostility to U.S. policy.
Tears and Hard Truths in Cairo
(Al Jazeera, 5 Jun 2009)
One minute into his speech he won nearly every heart and mind in the great hall, announcing his pride to be carrying "the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace Muslim communities use in my country: asalaamu alaikum. The audience rose to its feet and I was not the only one in that vast hall with tears in my eyes.
On Obama's Speech, the Differences, and Gap Bridging
(Al Arabiya, 5 Jun 2009)
The speech left most attendees — Egyptians and Westerners — awed and emotional, with mixed feelings of hope, fear, and sometimes perplexity and uncertainty. Ironically, Obama's same words that were to spark skepticism among the Muslim world, would also be harshly criticized by America's conservatives.
Obama's New Era in International Diplomacy
(The Daily Star, 5 Jun 2009)
The address was totally in line with Barack Obama's personal history; it was also a significant departure with traditional politics, just like the precedent-setting choice by the American electorate last November.
A New Beginning in Cairo
(Khaleej Times, 5 Jun 2009)
It had been one of the most awaited speeches in recent history. And when President Barack Obama finally stood up to speak in Cairo on Thursday, he seemed to do justice to all those expectations and hopes. Everyone knows Obama can make a fine speech. But this one was truly historic and is likely to be remembered long as much for its respectful tone and tenor as its refreshing content.
Egyptian Press Expresses Cautious Optimism After Obama Speech
(Gulf News, 5 Jun 2009)
“A new beginning for Muslim-US ties,” proclaimed the semi-official Egyptian newspaper Al Jumhuria on its front-page Friday, a commentary echoed by other government-run publications on US President Barack Obama’s speech to the Muslim world on Thursday.
Obama Wins Local (Muted) Applause
(Hurriyet, 5 Jun 2009)
U.S. President Barack Obama’s long-awaited address to the Muslim world yesterday was deemed a new beginning for U.S. relations, but analysts criticized Obama’s emphasis on women’s rights and democracy, which are problems not limited to the Islamic world. In early reactions to Obama’s speech from Egypt’s Cairo University, President Abdullah Gül said Obama proved he was a "constructive leader."
Lip Service or Conviction: Is US leader's sentiment real?
(Gulf News, 5 Jun 2009)
It was an offer for a new beginning by US President Barack Obama to the Islamic world, but many Gulf News readers are cynical of its outcome.
A New Beginning
(The Penninsula , 5 Jun 2009)
Ground-breaking. This is one word which can sum up the global reaction to US President Barack Obama’s speech to the Muslim world delivered at a packed auditorium on the sprawling campus of Cairo University yesterday.
Middle East: Bloggers React to Obama's Address
(Global Voices, 5 Jun 2009)
From being described as the “self-appointed world leader” to questioning his choice of speech venue to choosing to turn a deaf ear to his speech, blogs across the Middle East are reacting to US President Barack Obama's policy speech on the Middle East just delivered in Cairo, Egypt.
Pre-Trip Discussion — Domestic
Obama Middle East Trip: Muslims Want Tangible Change
(Huffington Post, 2 Jun 2009)
Respect for Islam, a prescription for Palestinian statehood and assurances of a speedy U.S. pullout from Iraq- that's what Muslims from Morocco to Malaysia say they want to hear from President Barack Obama this week when he addresses them from this Arab capital.
Egyptians Set the Stage for Obama Address
(GlobalPost, 2 Jun 2009)
Street-level buzz has gone through the roof as Obama’s visit approaches. And few hold back when it comes to expressing what they think Obama ought to be talking about. Israel-Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, and terrorism are listed as top priorities among those weighing-in on topics.
Obama Faces Challenges, Mixed Expectations On Speech To Islamic World
(RFE/RL, 2 Jun 2009)
But outside of political and intellectual circles, many Cairo residents appear to be enthusiastic about Obama's visit. Faten Mustafa, a mother of two children in Cairo, tells RFE/RL she is ready to welcome Obama: "I hope the visit leads to an improvement in relations -- and a solution to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian problem," she says. "And I also hope that the visit helps improve the image of the Arab world to outsiders and the image of America within the Arab world."
Cairo Counts Down to Obama
(Al-Ahram, 31 May 2009)
Obama's visit to Egypt and his choice of Cairo -- especially Cairo University -- as a venue to deliver a speech to Muslim and Arab nations was received with much enthusiasm in official quarters. State officials and their spokesmen attempt to paint Obama's choice as a clear message to all concerned about the "uncontested status of Cairo" as the leading Arab and Muslim capital
The Difficult Questions Concerning Obama's Middle East Visit
(Asharq al-Awsat, 2 Jun 2009)
Obama has retreated from the neo-conservatives' policy, so, will he renege on Kissinger's policy too, or will he have his own policy? Important remark: So far Obama has not committed himself to adopting any position, which may indicate that he would go either way.
Obama Needs a Magic Wand
(Asharq al-Awsat, 3 Jun 2009)
Obama will arrive and deliver his eagerly anticipated speech to the Arabs and Muslims, this speech is particularly important since it comes after 8 years of conflict, war, and the fueling of terrorism, [that occurred] during Bush's administration. However the truth is that Obama does not have a magic wand [to wave] at all the problems.
Welcome President Barack Obama
(Asharq al-Awsat, 3 Jun 2009)
Your Excellency President Barack Obama, your visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as a first stop preceding your delivery of your address which you will direct to the Islamic world from Egypt, must be viewed within the framework of all its inferences and significances.
Obama and the Arabs
(Asharq al-Awsat, 3 Jun 2009)
Either Barack Obama is the most intelligent president that has ever entered the White House, or he is trying his luck in his first presidential months by walking into the dangerous minefield, the Middle East.
Al-Qaeda Tells Muslims: Shun Obama
(Al Jazeera, 3 Jun 2009)
Calling Obama a "criminal", Ayman al-Zawahiri told Muslims not to heed the "elegant words" of the US leader whose speech in Cairo on Thursday is aimed at repairing ties with the Islamic world damaged by his predecessor's "war on terror" policies.
President Obama: Are you listening?
(Saudi Gazette, 3 Jun 2009)
Since President Barack Obama’s path to the White House was paved with promises of better relations with the Muslim World – which were reiterated in his inaugural address as well –people expect him to deliver on those promises and make all those words come true.
What Arabs expect from Obama for Mideast peace
(Saudi Gazette, 3 Jun 2009)
Obama’s trip to Saudi Arabia today to meet with King Abdullah has raised the expectations of Arabs. While Western diplomats have said that Obama’s visit will not yield much in leading to solutions to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Arabs, on the other hand, will be disappointed if the visit results only in the usual rhetoric.
Great Expectations From Obama’s Visit
(Saudi Gazette, 1 Jun 2009)
Observers and officials are attaching considerable importance to the Saudi-US summit scheduled to take place Wednesday in Janadriya outside Riyadh, since it is the first official visit by US President Barack Obama to the Kingdom.
Obama Should Recall Chicago On His tour
(The Daily Star, 3 Jun 2009)
As he wanders in Arab-Islamic lands, he should be guided less by the ghastly images of the 9/11 attacks, and more by his two seminal experiences in Chicago as a community organizer and law professor. Law and rights, not terror and revenge, should be the lenses through which he encounters the Arab-Islamic world.
Pre-Trip Discussion — International
Obama Steps Into Diplomatic Minefield
(Asia Times, 30 May 2009)
Ahead of two critical elections, in Lebanon and Iran, United States President Barack Obama's visit to the Middle East next week is a delicate matter that may even prove to be a litmus test of his foreign policy orientation.
What Obama Should Tell Muslims
(The Boston Globe, 27 May 2009)
When President Obama delivers his much-anticipated address in Cairo next week, he should counter the deadly and pervasive narrative that "the West is at war with Islam" and replace it with a more accurate storyline that offers Muslims both responsibility and pride.
Why did Obama add Saudi Arabia to his itinerary?
(Foreign Policy, 28 May 2009)
The Arab media is buzzing today over the announcement that President Obama will travel to Riyadh before arriving in Cairo for his big address to the Islamic world. Why the late addition to his itinerary? The first wave of response was a pure reflection of endemic inter-Arab rivalries.
Saudis, Others Looking Forward to Obama Visit
(VOA, 28 May 2009)
President Barack Obama's visit to Saudi Arabia is being seen by many analysts as an opportunity to renew those ties, as well as to address many mutual concerns, including Iran, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the global economic crisis.
Obama's New Way
(The Australian, 29 May 2009)
The first test of Obama's new public diplomacy comes with his Cairo speech that will seek to break through the destructive mindset that formed after 9/11. "The whole Muslim world will be watching," says Martin Indyk, former U.S. ambassador to Israel. Obama, surely, will seek a new partnership with the Muslim world based on shared obligations.
The Egypt Speech: Obama's Watershed Moment
(The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 29 May 2009)
President Obama’s Cairo speech will define not only his approach to the "Muslim world" but his administration's aspirations for ending the Arab-Israeli conflict and bringing Iran in from the cold...raised expectations will be difficult to meet, and the risks from negative effects from what he will (and will not) say are real.
Obama Speech to Muslims Key to New Strategy
(Globe and Mail, 31 May 2009)
President Barack Obama will try to repair America's tarnished image in the Muslim world on Thursday, as he looks to mobilize support for restarting Middle East peacemaking and thwarting Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Obama Middle East Trip: Muslims Want Tangible Change
(Huffington Post, 2 Jun 2009)
Respect for Islam, a prescription for Palestinian statehood and assurances of a speedy U.S. pullout from Iraq- that's what Muslims from Morocco to Malaysia say they want to hear from President Barack Obama this week when he addresses them from this Arab capital.
Checking the Enemy's Ideology
(The Weekly Standard, 2 Jun 2009)
Obama's speech in Cairo must be complemented by a campaign to empower Muslims who do not share the Islamists' vision for humanity. The administration should take its time and get this right. Traditional State Department public diplomacy should be enhanced, but its overall mission should be expanded and new tools are needed.
Obama's Egypt Speech: What He Should Say to the Muslim World
(The Brookings Institution , 2 Jun 2009)
To provide context for this event, the Saban Center at Brookings’ Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World has asked leading experts and policy-makers from the United States and the Muslim world to submit commentary on what they hope to hear from President Obama’s speech.
Obama Will Try to Form a Personal Connection in Middle East
(Los Angeles Times, 2 Jun 2009)
Aides say the president in his much-awaited speech in Cairo to the Muslim world will emphasize commonalities and mutual respect in an effort to heal a rift that widened in recent years. Aides also say the president is expected to discuss his roots with the Muslim world.
Obama Reaches Out To Muslims On Middle East Trip
(National Public Radio, 2 Jun 2009)
Obama calls the "current trajectory" in Mideast "profoundly negative" for Israeli, U.S. interests. On Thursday, Obama will be in Cairo, where he will deliver a highly anticipated speech that the White House has characterized as a message to the Arab world — and a high-profile opportunity to reshape America's image among Muslim countries in the region.
Setting the Scene
(CPD Blog, 2 Jun 2009)
As President Obama embarks for Riyahd and Cairo this evening, the "scene setters" appear: the BBC headlines "what could be one of the most important speeches of his presidency"; America's own NPR features a pre-departure interview focused on the Cairo speech as a "high-profile opportunity to reshape America's image among Muslim countries."
What Will Obama Say in Cairo?
(Truthdig, 29 May 2009)
The speech is expected to offer a redefinition of American foreign policy in the region; it’s meant to replace the Bush administration’s “war against terrorism” and to repudiate Samuel F. Huntington’s famous formulation of a war between Islamic civilization and the West, which many in the Middle East believe motivates American policy.
During His Trip to Egypt, Obama Should Visit Gaza
(Air America, 29 May 2009)
Obama should take the opportunity, during this visit to Egypt next week, to visit Gaza. He should express his condolences for the loss of so many innocent lives, call for a lifting of the inhumane siege that continues to imprison an entire population, and support an investigation of how U.S. military funds to Israel are being spent.
In Egypt, Dissident Ayman Nour is Pessimistic on Eve of Obama Visit
(Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2009)
Ayman Nour was freed from prison early this year in a gesture to the U.S., but he fears that Washington, which needs Egypt's help in the region, won't push for democratic reforms.
Obama and the Dialogue of Civilizations
(Huffington Post, 2 Jun 2009)
President Barack Obama's June 4th speech in Cairo will be one of the most important of his presidency. The success or failure of Obama's presidency may well depend on his actions in the Muslim world, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan where he has recently committed thousands of additional American troops and billions of dollars.
Obama Needs a 'Big Idea' for Muslims
(Los Angeles Times, 3 Jun 2009)
When President Obama speaks to the world's Muslims from Cairo this week, he'll touch, again, on the themes of respect and engagement. But he's delivered that message at least three times already, and this time his audience will expect more. They'll want to know whether Obama has a "big idea" about U.S policy toward Arabs and Muslims.
Obama: T-Minus 4 Days
(GlobalPost, 31 May 2009)
It’s four days until President Barack Obama makes his much-anticipated visit to Cairo to give an address to the Muslim world. And the buzz is growing. As you would expect, you have your two opposing camps of people: those who are excited about Obama’s trip and those who are cynical about it.
High Expectations for Obama's Speech in Egypt
(Huffington Post, 31 May 2009)
This is why expectations are high and dare not be let down. This speech must be more than banal clichés ("we are not at war with Muslims") or a repetition of hollow visions. It must be bigger, more consequential and more substantial. It is a tall order, but given Obama's modus operandi, I'm counting on him to prove me right.
Obama's Muslim address: 'Mutual respect'
(Chicago Tribune (The Swamp), 31 May 2009)
With a long-promised address to the Muslim world next week, the White House says, President Barack Obama plans to underscore the "mutual interests and mutual respect'' that the United States and Muslim communities around the world have.
President Obama Making Crucial Visit to Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia, Egypt
(New York Daily News, 1 Jun 2009)
President Obamahopes to begin winning over hearts and minds of the Muslim world with strategic visits this week to pro-Western alliesSaudi Arabia and Egypt. Obama first and foremost hopes to turn the page with the globe's moderate Muslim majority.
Addressing Muslim World, Obama Will Face Many Audiences
(Kansas City Star, 1 Jun 2009)
President Barack Obama has a sweeping goal for his speech Thursday in Cairo, Egypt: to begin remaking the dynamic between the United States and Muslims abroad. Tying together all the elements of such a speech is no easy proposition, for his worldwide audience - Muslim and non-Muslim - reflects competing priorities and concerns
What Obama Will Say in Cairo
(The Guardian, 3 Jun 2009)
We already know, broadly, what Obama will say during his visit to Egypt this week. There are ample clues in the speech he gave to the Turkish parliament two months ago, and his interview with al-Arabiya television last January.
Middle East Hangs on Obama's Words
(The Guardian, 30 May 2009)
Elections in Lebanon and Iran; a long-promised Obama speech to the Muslim world in Cairo; summits with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and a growing rift between the US and Israel. The Middle East is heading into one of those watershed periods that could define the region for years to come.
Middle East Hangs on Obama's Words
(The Guardian, 30 May 2009)
Elections in Lebanon and Iran; a long-promised Obama speech to the Muslim world in Cairo; summits with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and a growing rift between the US and Israel. The Middle East is heading into one of those watershed periods that could define the region for years to come.
Obama Seeks Enhanced Engagement with the Middle East, Europe
(America.gov, 2 Jun 2009)
“President Obama’s speech will be an important part of this engagement with the Muslim world, which began in his inaugural (speech) and has continued through venues such as his interview with Al Arabiya, his Nowruz message, and his speech and town hall (meeting) in Turkey,” said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.
Arab States Cool to Obama Pleas for Peace Gesture
(New York Times, 3 Jun 2009)
It is hard to overstate how much excitement President Obama’s visit here has generated. People across the crowded metropolis of Cairo are marveling at how much sprucing up the government has done, from paving over the road in front of Cairo University to painting light poles and bridges to planting trees and bushes around the Citadel
High Expectations for Obama's Cairo Speech
(The Washington Post, 3 Jun 2009)
President Obama has set a high bar for his trip to the Middle East and Europe this week. By his own description, he is on a truth-telling mission. The challenges are clear: Can he successfully reach out to the Muslim world without offending Israel? Can words move either side to do what they have resisted in the past?
Egyptians' Excitement for Obama's Speech Conceals Mistrust
(Huffington Post, 3 Jun 2009)
An Egyptian journalist explained, "Americans seem to think that by electing Obama, they have wiped the slate clean. 'We can go back to being the good guys!' His administration needs to understand that Egyptians at least are ready to give him a chance, but he had better make the most of it."
Why Obama Can't Sell America
(Foreign Policy, 3 Jun 2009)
Four years ago, Foreign Policy asked me to write an open memo to Karen Hughes, one of U.S. President George W. Bush's under secretaries of state. Hughes was then charged with improving America's battered image in the Arab world, and I was tasked to suggest ways to accomplish her mission...It has been four years since that article was published, and relations with the Arab world are now the concern of a very different president.
Obama on Obama
(New York Times, 3 Jun 2009)
Tom Friedman: I told the president that joke because in reading the Arab and Israeli press this week, everyone seemed to be telling him what he needed to do and say in Cairo, but nobody was indicating how they were going to step up and do something different.
What the Muslim World Wants to Hear From Obama
(New York Times, 3 Jun 2009)
President Obama’s tour of the Middle East is intended to set the groundwork for a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and improve the image of the United States in the Muslim world. On Thursday, he is scheduled to give his first speech in Cairo. Here are seven views from the region about what he should say.
Israeli Eyes on Cairo
(Jerusalem Post, 3 Jun 2009)
Will he censure Arab leaders and call on the Arab world to democratize? Or will he speak in subtler tones: a well-crafted diplomat about to take his place among a long list of American presidents who failed to bring Israelis and Palestinians to a sustainable solution while helping to buttress regional leaders who have done little to support democracy, freedom and justice?
Multiple Channels for Obama’s Cairo Speech
(The New York Times, 3 Jun 2009)
[The Cairo speech] will be texted and tweeted, as well as highlighted on Facebook, Myspace and a host of other social networking sites. The speech will also be Webcast as it happens on the White House Live section of Whitehouse.gov and streamed by the State Department as part of a live Web chat.
Punditry From Bin Laden and Zawahiri on Obama’s Trip to the Middle East
(The New York Times, 3 Jun 2009)
If President Barack Obama’s trip this week to the home countries of both of Al Qaeda’s top leaders achieves nothing else, it appears to have already succeeded in annoying Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Obama to Speak at Campus Where Political Freedoms Are Few
(The Washington Post, 3 Jun 2009)
Student political groups are prohibited. The university's policy on artistic and cultural events, according to its Web site, is "protecting students from all sorts of destructive ideas and corrupt thoughts."
In Speech, Much for Obama to Overcome
(The Washington Post, 3 Jun 2009)
When President Obama delivers his address to the Middle East on Thursday from Cairo, he will face the legacy of names like Haditha, Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, places that have become more symbol than geography over nearly a decade of perhaps the most traumatic chapter in America's relationship with the Muslim world.
Muslims Of The World, Lend Him Your Ears
(The Atlantic, 3 Jun 2009)
The notion of an American president's speech that facilitates the mutual interests of our allies in the Muslim world will strike conservatives here at home as a horrible sin. The fear is that that Obama will capitulate to an anti-Western world view that privileges humility over strength and concedes that America has lost the clash of civilizations.
Unprecedented Web Outreach For Obama's Speech
(CBS, 3 Jun 2009)
The White House has launched a sweeping plan to harness the ever-growing worldwide reach of social networks to promote President Obama's major speech to the Muslim world tomorrow in Cairo. It is an unprecedented effort to market a presidential address.
Where’s U.S. Public Diplomacy When Bin Laden Whines About Obama?
(Washington Independent, 4 Jun 2009)
But more distressing that bin Laden’s expected bleating is the lack of rapid response from the administration’s public diplomacy infrastructure. If this were a political campaign, the pushback would have begun already. But so far there’s nothing from the State Department’s blog taking bin Laden’s message down.
Obama's Cairo Speech: It's a Rorschach Test, But It Doesn't Have to Be
(Huffington Post, 4 Jun 2009)
Tomorrow a global Rorschach inkblot test will take place. Obama will speak in Cairo. All around the world there will be cries of alarm and sighs of relief, predictions full of hope and condemnations dripping with outrage, disappointment and celebration, denunciations that the speech was too soft and accusations that it was just more of the same.
Americans 'Negative' About Muslims
(Al Jazeera, 4 Jun 2009)
As Barack Obama, the US president, seeks to mend the image of the US in the Muslim world, a new survey indicates almost half of Americans have a negative opinion about Muslim countries. The 46 per cent of respondents who held an unfavourable view of Islamic nations was up five per cent from 2002, while just 20 per cent said they held a positive opinion.
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