Obama In the Middle East

One thing is undeniable: Barack Obama is taking the world's perception of the US on a sharp 180 degree turn. It is amazing to see the effect he has on people of other countries. Amazing and heartening. I find myself feeling proud.

Here's the video of his address in Cairo.

The Opinionator in today's NY Times links out to a whole slew of Middle East newspapers, and the reactions in them to Obama's visit. Some are guarded, some are gushing, many are positive in some sense. "It's a good start" seems to be a common theme, and that, after the past 8 years, is about as good as we could ask.

Al Jazeera: "If Bush had to demonise many Muslims in order to launch the wars he did in the Islamic world, then Obama humanises the Islamic world in order to engage," Bishara said.

Asharq Alawsat: "I grew up as a Muslim, and some religious leaders told us to hate other people. So he was speaking directly at me, telling us to stop hating Israelis and Jews. He is the most powerful man in the world and millions of people around the Middle East will see hope in what he said." — Hani Ameer, an Iraqi immigrant in London.

and

"It still was a speech about what America wants. Maybe that's only natural, because he wants to protect American interests in the region. ... But I really do believe he envisions a world that is pluralistic, where different religions can live peacefully together, with respect, as he himself experienced in Indonesia." — Edi Kusyanto, a teacher at the school in Indonesia where Obama went as a child.

but also

"Bush and Clinton said the same about a Palestinian state, but they've done nothing, so why should we believe this guy?" — Ali Tottah, 82, a Palestinian refugee at the Baqaa refugee camp in Jordan.

and

"Obama's speech is an attempt to mislead people and create more illusions to improve America's aggressive image in the Arab and Islamic world." — A joint statement by eight Damascus, Syria-based radical Palestinian factions, including Hamas.

A good start, nonetheless. For me, it's almost enough to know that we're trying, and to know that we're looking to get right with the world and with ourselves, rather than twisting language and logic and law to justify the things we know deep down are not justifiable, but merely profitable.

When I hear the bloviating and the raging and the largely crazy ranting of the Obama-is-a-socialist crowd, rather than argue or get upset, I feel comforted. After all, these are the people who thought what Bush and Cheney were doing was right--with the economy, with the war in Iraq, with our treatment of detainees, with social and scientific policy and regulation and legislation, with the constant challenge to the patriotism of those who did not agree with them, with the intentional factionalizing and polarizing of the people of this country. So, if they're upset, foaming at the mouth, Obama must be doing something right.

Look past your wallet, past the car in your driveway, out of your town and country, even, out into the world, and see what kind of opportunity we have here. This is only the start, the setting of the stage for what could come.

Call if fluff, but I call it preparation. The details will come, some from Obama and some from we the people. Let the Cheneys do their thing, sell their fear and their wars, and let it all fall on deaf ears.

The Opinionator piece goes on in depth into the Israeli reaction and the US reaction and the problems littering the road ahead. It's a good read, check it out.

I'm impressed by the reception Obama is getting around the world as much as (or more than) I am by the things he's saying (plenty) or proposing (little). But it's all part of the whole. Hearts and minds. He's getting them.