A Critique Of Barack Obama's Speech In Cairo, Egypt
“Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.” -President Barack Obama quoting the Qur’an
Today, I sat with my family and watched Obama’s speech (full text) in Cairo. While the significance of a U.S. President humanizing Muslims and Islam by quoting Qur’anic verses and illustrating our contributions to Civilization is not lost on us (this was unimaginable just a couple years ago!), we did find a few things to critique. With that, I’ll hand over the laptop to my brother-in-law, Angrez.
1. To define the suffering of Palestinians in terms of dislocation and humiliation is an unfortunate and shocking understatement. Palestinians were expelled from their land in a manner that can only be described as ethnic cleansing. Consider, for example, the rules allowing any Jew to settle there while Palestinians continue to be barred from their ancestral homes. Consider also the number of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians killed by Israeli forces during conflicts and battles. The disproportionate use of force by the Israeli forces is well-noted by human rights groups and the UN. The United States has always turned a blind eye to these excesses, and it is this that has characterised the “unbreakable” bond of which Obama spoke. The simple truth is that the occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem (and barring the return of refugees) is illegal under international law, and I have yet to hear an American President admit this.
2. It is true that Muslim countries can do much better in terms of tolerance towards religious minorities. Contrary to Obama’s view however, examples of such tolerance are not only found in the depths of our past in Muslim Spain. In Pakistan, for example, the founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah was adamant about the protection of minorities from the very beginning. While Pakistan still has much to do in the context of protecting minorities, let us not forget the number of churches and Christian schools that are found throughout the nation, the appearance of Christian religious leaders on television at Christmas time and the reserved seats for minorities in parliament. Pakistanis welcome Sikhs who come on pilgrimage every year to the Punjab. The expression of faith by minorities is found throughout the most populous Muslim countries, including Indonesia, which Obama mentioned. The complete suppression of other religions by countries such as Saudi Arabia, with its relatively tiny population of 8 to 10 million people, should not be perceived as the norm. Let us not forget that the majority of Muslims live east of Karachi, and let us not forget that Israel, with which the US shares an “unbreakable” bond, would treat Palestinians fairly if they were Jewish.
3. Sunni-Shia hatred has a long and lamentable history but as a European, I am all too aware of our historical Catholic-Protestant conflicts. These resulted in wars in the past and suffering in Northern Ireland. Such conflict, while appalling, is human and not exclusive to Muslims. The war between the Sunni Saddam Hussein and his Shia opponents was egged on by the West.
I am by and large glad that Obama is trying to engage the Muslim world and is at least trying to reign in some Israeli excesses, e.g. settlements. I fully support his opposition to extremists and appreciated his admission of American mistakes in Iran and Iraq. He is a compelling orator and I cannot help feeling that he is more sincere than many other politicians. Perhaps because of this I am sometimes disappointed that he does not seem to go all the way when addressing problems such as the Israeli occupation. One has to recognise the constraints upon him I suppose, e.g. the need for the support of the pro-Israeli lobby.
With such constraints in mind, I believe he offers the best chance for an improvement in ties with the rest of the world, compared to the other Presidential candidates that were before us.
Update: For some more commentary and more of a comprehensive critique, see Ali Abunimah’s commentary over at the Guardian.
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A Girl at 4 June 09 :: #
um…did he just call the hijab the hajib?
i know he tried what with pronouncing Assalamu 3alaykum and Qur’an kind of ok, hajib is a totally different word
Sabrina at 4 June 09 :: #
Haha @ “hajib” comment above. Yes, I had similar reaction and ONE more: Obama sometimes sounded like he was insinuating that “Islam” was somehow problematic in these “Muslim” nations. And there was a general tone of arrogance.
I thought I was being too critical, until on the NPR, a Lebanese journalist points out the same thing.
A Girl at 4 June 09 :: #
I feel as if he, like many others, truly does not understand the incredible amount that the Palestinians suffer because of the Jewish state
it seems that all he thinks they have to deal with is “dislocation”
AzamHussain at 4 June 09 :: #
I am still amazed to hear our president speaking coherently. Let alone quoting Quran and referencing isra wal miraj. I agree with much of the criticism that is going on here but this guy has to take small steps or he is going to be tossed out in three years. As it is, with this simple affirmation of there actually being two sides to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he is getting accused of pushing Israel away by senators.
The one thing that i’ll add on there is that he denounced violence as ever being a method of resistance, even though we were pretty violent in getting rid of England.
susan at 4 June 09 :: #
Describing it as “dislocation” was a terrible understatment; describing it as “ethnic cleansing” is a ridiculous overstatement.
Anjum at 4 June 09 :: #
meh.. I get that it could have been better, but you know what, I’ll take what we can get from a sitting American president.
lol @ hajib – I heard that too. Ohh, so close!
Sabrina at 4 June 09 :: #
did he also kill Al-Azhar by repeatedly saying something like ulazar? Or am I hearing it wrong?
Sania Khan at 4 June 09 :: #
Sorry, I know this is random, but I had to comment.
Consider the state of affairs within the international community in the Bush Era-it was on one extreme,to shift from that extreme Obama has to incrementally move toward the middle. He cannot begin his approach with a vast shift b/c he will lose the ear of those who wouldn’t normally listen-but b/c of his popularity-Are.
I remember in his inauguration speech I was disappointed in his use of the term ‘Muslim World’ but pleased with his use of the term ‘Mutual Respect and Mutual Interests’—in THIS speech he did not use the term ‘Muslim World’ and fleshed out the meaning of mutual respect and mutual interests,in my opinion.It was a good step.
Whether he stated each groups accomplishments correctly or whether he stated the problems clearly-to me isn’t the measure-its the likelihood of his solutions-and whether he kept those who will be part of the solutions listening, while opening their minds. Therefore, I think it’s very easy to critique what he did or did not say, but fail to look at the AFFECT of what he DID say-whether it shifted the dialogue. Did the speech keep the Israelis listening, while still pushing them? yes. Did it display respect to Muslims,Palestinians and minority groups within these countries? Yes. Did it even educate Americans on their own history and the importance of Muslims to their country/the world’s makeup? yes.
Lastly, I think he has jumped on a P.R. campaign that Muslims have been trying to get out there, for a long time-I urge you to watch the video of Muslim Americans highlighted in his administration on the white house website if you haven’t.
So ultimately,I thought the speech was measured and kept EVERYONE listening.A VERY good start.
meriam at 6 June 09 :: #
Just wanted to make some quick points.
1. I don’t think he is ever going to define Palestinian suffering as “ethnic cleansing”. I don’t think we should ever expect him too. Whether he does or not – doesn’t matter. He said their present situation is “intolerable” and something must be done. That’s where we should focus! I think we need to move beyond how people label the atrocities of the past, and focus on building Palestinians a better future. This is precisely the point he was trying to make in his speech.
2. There’s no need to be defensive. He’s obviously not going to mention all the accomplishments of Muslim Countries. He has lived in Indonesia so I am sure he is aware of the tolerance there. And he did say, “Throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.” That’s enough said!
3. He was not there to have a discussion about Christianity, so why would he bring up conflicts between Catholics and Protestants? He made a really great point and Shias and Sunnis! (and about a lot of other things!) And by making it he was not implying it is only in Islam that such a problem ever existed.
and lastly just wanted to share one of my favorite quotes from the speech :)
“All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart, or whether we commit ourselves to an effort – a sustained effort – to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children, and to respect the dignity of all human beings.”
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