Previewing Obama’s Speech
In his New York Times column today, Thomas Friedman reported on his conversation with President Obama regarding the content of his upcoming Cairo speech. The president’s goal, he said, will be to hold “up a mirror and [say]: ‘Here is the situation, and the U.S. is prepared to work with all of you to deal with these problems. But we can’t impose a solution. You are all going to have to make some tough decisions.’ Leaders will have to lead, and, hopefully, they will get supported by their people.”
Friedman predicts that Arab and Muslim observers will see the speech, hear Obama come to their world and speak the truth, and be both empowered and disturbed at the same time. Given that Obama has Muslim family members, they will wonder why he is “the head of the free world and we can’t even touch freedom?”
Meanwhile, at World Politics Review, Michael Cohen and Brian Katulis express their concern that “if early signs are any indication, the president seems to be striking the wrong balance” between reform and U.S. interests in the region. That top officials such as Secretary Clinton have been pushing human rights issues aside in their dealings with countries like China over economic issues particularly worries the authors. If Obama is to make strides on human rights and democratic reform, he “should avoid hyperbole and instead lay out an achievable reform agenda…speak[ing] in more measured tones that reflect the reality of Middle East politics…but at the same time, he must put the region’s leaders on notice that they cannot continue to drag their feet on real reform.”
In the Wall Street Journal, Paul Wolfowitz writes that the “challenge of addressing the entire Muslim world in a single speech can be appreciated if one imagines what the reaction would be if some other world leader attempted to speak to the ‘Christian world,’ with all of its diversity…There is an enormous variety of views among Muslims around the world on everything from religion to politics to family values.” As such, he holds that it would be a big mistake if Obama were to walk away from George W. Bush‘s Freedom Agenda to promote democracy.
Meanwhile Rob at Arabic Media Shack reminds us of the trade-offs inherent in supporting democracy in Egypt, particularly as U.S. interests would be damaged with regards to Egyptian support for Israel, free trade and regional security. He asks: “How do you get democracy and keep ensuring that these above interests are maintained?” A prudent question that is a hot topic in within the U.S. policy establishment.
