President Obama: Leader of the Free World
Over the coming days and weeks many words of praise and some words of criticism will be said in the American media concerning President Obama‘s unprecedented speech to the Muslim world. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, it cannot be denied that his speech resonated well among most of the hundreds of millions of followers of Islam. The speech was characterized by showing a respectful attitude towards Muslims, in stark contrast to George Bush‘s incendiary language which called for a “crusade” against Arab terrorists after the 911 attack. By often quoting from the Quran, President Obama showed for the very first time that an American president has an understanding of Muslim traditions and culture. This understanding, along with Obama’s father’s Muslim roots (Obama has always been a Christian) went a long, long way in defining a new relationship between Washington and the Arab world.
Although the President’s speech was short on specific details, it was not Mr. Obama’s primary purpose to explain Washington’s foreign policy regarding the Middle East. His primary purpose was to let the Muslim World know that a new era of respectful diplomacy has begun and that the belicose days of the Bush Presidency are over. He further stated that the unbalanced, pro-Israeli treatment of the Palestinians will not be continued and that the Americans and the Muslim World can work together in fighting terrorist organizations, such as Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Mr. Obama’s speech to the Muslim World should represent a proud moment in American history, a moment when our country turned its back on the isolationist and militaristic policies of the past, and decided to show its true greatness by once again becoming the moral leader of the free world.
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On the one hand he said the US should not dictate the domestic policies of other countries but on the other hand he told Israel to stop building settlements. He also said that “no single nation should pick and choose which nation holds nuclear weapons.”
Hardly a moral leader when he is in favor of indefinite detention of suspected terrorists.
The “results” of his speech?
Iran’s supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for instance, immediately called the Obama speech “sweet and beautiful talks to the Muslim nation … that will not create a change,” adding that Israel is still a “cancerous tumor in the heart” of the Muslim world.
Contrast that with his visit to Buchenwald where he said: Buchenwald “teaches us that we must be ever-vigilant about the spread of evil in our own time, that we must reject the false comfort that others’ suffering is not our problem, and commit ourselves to resisting those who would subjugate others to serve their own interests.”
Yet his speech said the opposite. It’s all fluff and he has not led the US into anything positive.
yea.. obama is a true leader
Harrison,
The evils of this world will not be changed in a day or by one speech. President Obama will not be able to correct the damages caused by eight years of Bush Administration militarism and isolationism overnight. The purpose of his speech to the Muslim world was simply to extend an “olive branch” to those nations that have been turned against America due to past policies of disrespect and arrogance. Many right-wingers, such as you, will continue to berate Obama for everything he does, even when he tries to bring peace and understanding and tolerance to a divided world. Maybe you should follow his example and try a little tolerance.
“Tolerance” is not a word I would use to describe his speech nor is “right winger” a term I would use to describe my beliefs.
You think it’s ok he told Iran to go ahead and develop nuclear weapons?
The great divide between Islam and Christianity is now starting to be narrowed. President Obama is doing a great job.
I love how people are saying Obama hasn’t done anything when he’s been president for what–less than half a year?–and he’s already logged more hours than Bush did in two terms (I’m sure everyone knows about his inappropriately long/frequent vacations in Texas by now).
It was a speech, not the end-all be-all of his plans for engaging the Muslim populace. You have to set the stage and introduce your intentions and attitudes before you can work and cooperate for effective changes. It’s not like he’s clapping the dust off his hands and saying, “There, that oughta do it.” First things first.
I’m not a political expert, but you don’t need to be one to understand how an intelligent, hardworking leader will benefit everyone more than a dolt who never should have held office in the first place. And as a matter of fact, Obama HAS led the U.S. into something positive already–millions of us are, for the first time in eight years, no longer ashamed of our elected president, or afraid of what he’s going to do next.
How anyone can bitch about making peaceful overtures is beyond me. Would you honestly prefer the alternative?
Regarding peace overtures all I can say is Chamberlin made the same claim.