Copyright © 2009 AP
We have just learned that Egypt will be the country of choice for President Obama to deliver his 'promised' major address to the Muslim world from a Muslim country. Though White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs did not specify the exact spot from which the president will speak, I would venture to guess it would be Sharm-el-Sheik, where Egyptian President Mubarak spends his time. Though it is customary for presidents to reside in the capital city of their country, Mubarak finds it 'safer' to stay in the resort city. Sharm has become, in a way, the default capital city, since this is where most high level meetings take place. You will recall that the not too recent donors' conference for Gaza was held there as well.
Since taking office, President Obama has made several overtures to the Muslim world in an attempt to reverse the odium which developed for America following his predecessor's tenure and tactics. This will have our neo-conservatives take their eyes off the Obama 'bow' to the Saudi King, which had them frothing at the mouth, and concentrate on yet what they will inevitably view as Obama making some sort of concession to the Arab world. Why wasn't there so much noise when Bush held hands with the Saudi King?
Gibbs emphasized that the speech will not only be to the Arab world, but will include all Muslims in the world, i.e. Indonesia (the world's most populous muslim country), where Obama spent part of his childhood.
When the president spoke in front of the Turkish Parliament on April 6th, he declared that the United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam. However, this was not the 'major' speech that had been promised during Obama's first 100 days.
As encouraging and laudable as this speech will be, the United States continues to make grand gestures from countries that do not respect human rights. Obama will end up putting himself into a tight corner, since Egypt is renown for its police state tactics and arrests of bloggers and journalists, as well as its famed torture prisons. How can he then ask Cuba, with a straight face, to demonstrate progress on human rights before he lifts the embargo?
For more on Obama and the Arab world:
Foreign Policy: Mitchell arrival in the ME has already changed the tone
Diplomacy and Foreign Policy: where are the Arab Americans in this?
Middle East: A Likud win is a roadblock to peace
George Mitchell and the Middle East: the Arab view
Feltman and Shapiro due in Damascus this week
Gamal Mubarak: the man who would succeed his father
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