The deflated Arab hopes for Obama

Washington Post ^ | 11/29/2009 | Jackson Diehl

[Saije]

It's been nearly six months since Barack Obama stirred hearts and raised hopes across much of the Arab world with his much-promoted Cairo address. Many came away from it expecting a new and more vigorous U.S. attempt to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Others hoped for more American sympathy and support for liberal reform in countries where free expression, women's rights and democratic elections are blocked by entrenched autocracies.

The peace-process bubble burst two months ago at the United Nations, when Obama's poorly executed attempt to launch final-settlement talks between Israelis and Palestinians collapsed. Arabs who were led by Obama's rhetoric to believe that the United States would force Israel to make unprecedented unilateral concessions -- like a complete end to all construction in Jerusalem -- were bitterly disappointed.

But they are not the only victims of post-Cairo letdown. Arab reformers, who for most of this decade have been trying to break down the barriers to social and political modernization in the Middle East, have also begun to conclude that the Obama administration is more likely to harm than to help them.

"All Arab countries are craving change -- and many of us believed Obama was a tool for change," says Aseel al- Awadhi, a Kuwaiti member of parliament. "Now we are losing that hope."

Awadhi, one of four women elected to Kuwait's parliament this year, is part of a movement that the Bush administration loudly promoted and sporadically attempted to help -- though the effort steadily waned during George W. Bush's second term. The Obama administration, in contrast, often speaks as if it does not recognize the existence of an Arab reform movement. Bush's frequently articulated argument that political and social liberalization offer the best antidote to Islamic extremism appears absent from this administration's thinking.

[Saije]

Obama, just a disappointment all the way around. But really I don't know why they ever thought differently.

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

“Obama, just a disappointment”

Ya got that right.

[max americana]

> Arabs who were led by Obama’s rhetoric to believe that the United States would force Israel to make unprecedented unilateral concessions — like a complete end to all construction in Jerusalem — were bitterly disappointed. <

Israel gave Obowma the middle finger and dared him, that’s why. When smaller countries like Colombia, Israel, even Iran laugh at the “Won”, you know the Dope of Hope aint nothing but a walking empty suit.

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

Obama, just a disappointment

Well, he didn’t disappoint the Communist Party USA.

They even said so.

[the invisib1e hand]

The deflated Arab hopes for Obama

[freekitty]

He is a disappointment.

[cajungirl]

From the Wash Post,,hell hasfrozen over.

[pnh102]

So the Compost is lamenting that 0bama isn’t anti-Israel enough and hence, a disappointment.

[hsalaw]

"All Arab countries are craving change -- and many of us believed Obama was a tool for change," says Aseel al- Awadhi, a Kuwaiti member of parliament. "Now we are losing that hope."

How's that hope 'n change thing working for ya, Kuwait? About the same as it is here.

[MrEdd]

Well, at least he did turn out to be a tool...

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Bush's frequently articulated argument that political and social liberalization offer the best antidote to Islamic extremism appears absent from this administration's thinking.

Even the Washington Post recognizes this. Bush's neoconservative-inspired push for political and social liberalization was one of the most admirable initiatives in US foreign policy during my lifetime - and Obama's administration couldn't care less. The man bends over forward and backward to accomodate the tyrants and dictators of the world. I'd accuse Obama of practicing the same cynical, disgusting "realpolitik" advocated by the Kissingers, Scowcrofts and Brzezinskis of the world if Obama gave any indication that he actually knows what he's doing.

[no dems]

"All Arab countries are craving change -- and many of us believed Obama was a tool for change," says Aseel al- Awadhi, a Kuwaiti member of parliament. "Now we are losing that hope."

Well, Aseel, ol' buddy, you should have never put your "hope" in the dim-witted, empty suit who without a teleprompter has the intelligence of a can of Spam.

(My apologies for insulting Spam.)

[Aaron0617]

From the Wash Post,,hell hasfrozen over.

Last week it was the NY Times ~ NYT Editorial : Obama’s an amateur