Obama Travels to the Middle East
The US President Will Address Political Issues at Cairo University
Jun 2, 2009
Under the new administration, United States is looking to build a strengthened, new relationship with the Middle East. The US President Obama will be leaving for Egypt tomorrow in order to hold a meeting with President Mubarak and discuss the Middle East policy.
The following article aims to highlight the political scenario in which President Obama will be making his speech in Cairo. The issues he will be addressing have been shared below:
Obama's Choice of Egypt for Speech on Middle East
Many questions are being raised on the choice of Egypt as the country where President Obama would make his speech on the Middle East. Egypt has an extremely poor track record of human rights and does not have a democratic government. When asked in a recent interview by BBC whether President Obama considered President Mubarak to be an authoritarian ruler, Obama replied that he did not believe in labeling individuals. He pointed out that what mattered to him was that President Mubarak worked for stability and peace in region and that he is an ally of the United States.
The Image of America in the Muslim World
President Obama will arrive in Egypt on June 3, 2009 and is expected to make a speech at Cairo University on June 4. He believes in forging relationships in the Middle East region by way of mutual respect and understanding. He realizes that much of the Muslim world may be suspicious of the United States (since the attack on Afghanistan and occupation of Iraq) and that his foremost task is to improve the image of the country.
The Palestine Issue and the Obama Administration's Relation with Israel
Shibli Telhami from Brookings Institute (See Reference) calls the Palestine issue a "prism of pain" for the Arab world. So long as the Palestinian issue remains unresolved and little is done from the part of the United States, the Arab world is bound to suspect the US intentions. President Obama feels that it is important to discuss the Israel-Palestine issue while on his trip to Cairo. He has also made it clear that part of being a friend to Israel means being able to openly criticize it too. The US government has asked for a freeze on Israeli settlements.
American and Iranian Relations and the Nuclear Issue
With regards to Iran, President Obama wishes to put negotiations back on track. He told BBC that although he did not like placing artificial timelines to the negotiation process on the Iranian nuclear program between US and Iran, he did want to see some serious progress by the end of this year.
The Withdrawal of American Troops from Iraq
President Obama has promised to withdraw troops from Iraq. It is one of the major steps that will appease the Muslim world. The world will want to hear how his administration intends to carry this out. It is clear that in time power has to be transferred to the Iraqis. However, the US will be interested in ensuring that it is not done so hastily so as to leave Iraq fragile again.
What will President Obama Do With Syria
Political analysts around the world are discussing how President Obama will have to try and improve relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. A country which will receive much attention with regards to this is Syria. At this point Syria is allied with Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. It will be seen how President Obama balances his approaches towards Iran, Palestine, Syria and Israel.
What will President Obama Say to the Middle East
In conclusion, President Obama will have to prove to the Middle East that there is action backed by speech on his part towards the region. He will show respect and sympathy towards the Middle East, but will have to prove that these are not merely in words but also in the policies taken in the future. At the crux of the Middle Eastern issue lies the Palestinian issue and with regards to this, it is hoped that the President's trip to Cairo will lead the world towards the right direction
Reference:
Grand, Stephen. "Obama's Four Cairo Challenges"
