Obama’s World
I had feared worse. Much worse. To be sure, parts of it lived up to my fears and expectations, but there’s a lot that I like. So that while this is certainly not a speech I would deliver, it is a lot better than the one I feared, and I can promise you that leading Muslims are very upset with several parts of it.
President Obama’s most explosive words were about women. He called for equal rights, stressing education, and promising American support for such programs. There is no theme in the Middle East that is more threatening to the misogynist political and religious leaders. If there is any real hope for freedom and democracy in the region, it will be accomplished by the women and their supporters, and the current leaders dread it. I wonder if Obama knows it. If so, full marks to him. But even if he doesn’t, even if he thinks he was simply reciting an intuitively obvious commonplace, he sent chills up and down the spines of the region’s rulers.
He wasn’t eager to embrace Bush’s call for democracy, but he got there anyway, albeit grudgingly. He trotted out one of his favorite multiculti themes (“no system of government can or should be imposed by one nation by any other”), but he reminded his listeners of the enormous success of America and Americans, and of our revolutionary heritage: “The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire.” And, using words that any neocon must applaud, he promised American support for freedom…everywhere.
“…I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed, confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people, the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas. They are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.”
And he stressed that democracy requires more than just elections; governments’ legitimacy depends on the consent of the governed:
“You must maintain your power through consent, not coercion. You must respect the rights of minorities and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise. You must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party.
Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.”
Quite right. And for once, in a speech that often oozed vagueness, he got specific, referring to the need to respect the rights of Copts (targeted by Egyptian Muslims) and Maronites (targeted by Lebanese Muslims).
For those who expected him to put some distance between the United States and Israel, Obama matter-of-factly stated: there is an unbreakable bond between the two countries. Like others, I wish he had stressed the commitment to democracy that binds us, and I was appalled by his slide into moral equivalence (at one point seeming to compare the Holocaust with Israel’s reaction to Palestinian terrorism; if he really wanted to make a fair comparison, he should have compared Palestinian refugees with Jewish ones from Arab lands), but his straightforward, unambiguous and unequivocal support for the Jewish State was exemplary, as was his call for Israel’s enemies to abandon violence and accept her existence. He doesn’t like the settlements. Lots of American presidents and secretaries of state have said the same thing, as have lots of Israelis.
Obama has a history of taking no position or taking all positions. He has said one thing, then said the other.
Most commonly, he will explain two or more sides of an issue, explain that these are both worthy and in conflict, and that resolving the problem will be difficult. That is it, no choices made.
He stridently opposed policy choices of Bush, and now supports those policies, with no explanation or apology.
He announced that he doesn’t want to run the auto companies. Then, he forced a plan that gives the government 60-70% control. Other structuring would have been possible that would have truly kept the government out of a controlling, decision making position. Even better, he could have left those companies alone and saved the resources of the taxpayers and the country.
This may all be brilliant politics, from the viewpoint of maintaining popularity.
Unfortunately, this also means that his word means nothing. So, what does it matter what he says in any speech?
Let’s see his well considered plans, papers, and written proposals. Let’s see his administration’s analyses of the problems of our times. Let’s stop reading the tea leaves of his words, and instead demand accountable, written presentations, more than 12 hours before these are pushed through as new law.
It is useless to analyze his speeches as if they mean anything.
“…even though he clearly lacks the background for it.”
Barack Obama is a shallow man who has read very little during his lifetime. There are numerous individuals in their mid-twenties who are more intellectually advanced. Obama realized in his earlier years that manipulating guilt-tripped whites was the way to go. Reading books was far less rewarding than learning how best to jack the system. Also, his speech reflects the inane mutterings of a John Esposito than the wiser Bernard Lewis. This is very disturbing. The Obama administration is obviously listening to politically correct mediocrities.
There are two questions that I have concerning his speech:
1.) Do Egyptians take seriously a man of African descent? It is my understanding that they are unwavering racists.
2.) Obama may have spoken on a segregated campus. Is it true that Jews, Christians, and all other Egyptian minorities are forbidden to attend this particular university?
“…I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed, confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people, the freedom to live as you choose.”
So the King Fraud said that, did he?
Well, hell’s bells, do you suppose he might actually come to the point where those things apply to the citizens of the United States as well?
We are to have a say in how we are governed?? Now THERE’S a concept.
However, the Muzzies will soon figure out they have nothing to fear (regarding those things that they see as “explosive”).
When it comes to things having to do with personal liberty and self-determination, he doesn’t really mean it. He’s just saying it to achieve some specific end.
On the other hand, in those things having to do with threats, intimidation and domination, he means exactly what he says, and will do it and will do it in spades.
So they should all should relax. He’s no threat to their ideas of governance. None.
David Thompson This “Barack Obama is a shallow man who has read very little during his lifetime.” from someone who shown himself to be someone who cannot think for himself but has to parrot line from the looney wingnuts. I suuppose DT has the list of books that Obama has read. Please gieve me a break.
…”and I was appalled by his slide into moral equivalence…”
Please quote the exact text where he placed the two events at the same level morally. Please. I haven’t found it yet. I found where he mentioned the events, but nowehere did he even come close to saying the two were equal in nature.
look for the words “on the other hand.”
If, per this postmodern President, the United State doesn’t “dictate” to other countries, what do you call Obama’s insistence that growth in West Bank settlements must stop ?
Or his insistence on a “two state”* solution, that which hasn’t materialized after decades of so called negotiations ?
(*a cold day in hell, from the Hamas perspective)
David Thomson: “Do Egyptians take seriously a man of African descent?”
Um, Egyptians are Africans.
“government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people”
Ha. That’s rich coming from Thief in Chief.
“And, using words that any neocon must applaud, he promised American support for freedom…everywhere.”
I didn’t read it that way at all. It came across as yet another promise to lower taxes for 95% of Americans… Wrong on its face and impossible under His existing long-term policy goals.
Let’s fisk this: “…I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed…” Right off, it deliberately ignores the fact that free peoples want to govern themselves and that government must report to them. Barry’s belief amounts to nothing more than telling one’s master what one wishes for dinner. It is not the essence of freedom;
“…confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people…” The way his Fed is printing cash and the way his Yale students are handling the auto industry? and the dealerships? and the unions, and the shareholders and bondholders?… His statements amount to blatant nonsense even to his supporters;
“…the freedom to live as you choose…” Cap and Trade? His radical environmental agenda? Right to private property? The newly appointed Pay Czar doling out limits as he believes they should be? The right to defend one’s life and property versus the government’s monopoly on violence?
“…These are not just American ideas. They are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.” Support them, how exactly, with unilateral nuclear disarmament?
His credibility has dropped to such depths that it is getting to the point of daily embarrassment when He speaks. Not even those who support His campaign agendas trust Him. [enough with the caps] One of the notable exceptions was his warning to private citizens was that he was the only thing standing between them and his ACORN thugs’ pitchforks.
Beyond here you made me cringe with laughter… My seventh grader does better in-depth research on facts than his speechwriters. The speech was so bad in the manner of data that the impression had to have been felt that it may just have been deliberate. This gharbazh is what they produce at American private schools, Columbia and Harvard? Is he attempting to “humanize” his omnipotence? Or is he truly this ignorant and thus vulnerable?
I’m for the latter. He is surrounded by some truly brilliant people, but in analysis one can’t identify a grain of patience, wisdom or humility in the lot. There are some things a bought Harvard degree can’t purchase.
Thanks for the great post.
Obama is blessed with great speech writers and functioning teleprompters. End result: empty rhetoric from an empty suit.
I find him to be classless, lacking in gravitas, protocol and the true understanding of his role as POTUS. He insults our allies, denigrates our military, CIA and FBI. Apologizes for America.
Wow, what a patriot!!! Or is it a liar, fraud, racist and politically corrupt thug at the helm. I bet on the latter.
Zachriel (#8) Egypt may be located on the African Continent, but Egyptians are not Negroid. Ref. The Story of Civilization, Vol. 1, Our Oriental Heritage, by Will Durant.
““You must maintain your power through consent, not coercion. You must respect the rights of minorities and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise. You must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party.
Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.””
Oh, the irony!!!!
I frankly do not want Obama speaking “in our name” because he does not speak for me. He speaks for a world I want no part of.
Barack Obama, singing the praises of liberty and democracy in Cairo while systematically dismantling them at home.
Zachriel: Egyptians do not consider themselves as Africans. If you want to verify that don’t look at a map, speak with an Egyptian.
That speech was a national embarrassment. You cannot begin to cover all the inaccuracies, the platitudes and downright insults to America as he was pandering to the Muslim world. This guy went to Harvard? How the mighty have fallen. He obviously never had a European history course or if so he got a special student pass.
The world he was tying to reach out to still endorses and practices slavery, the circumcision of young girls, and the mutilation of criminals. They have been involve in the systematic genocide of Armenians, Coptic and Lebanese Christians. Yet we have to apologize for 3, that is right 3 terrorists being water boarded to protect American lives. And have these people ever apologized for one single atrocity? No they dance in the streets whenever an American is captured and butchered like a pig.
If I was Jewish and voted for this guy I’d hide in shame. Better visit Israel while it is still on the map.
Obama is an incredibly naive man. He will go down in the record as matching ,or exceeding Jimmy Carter for ineptitude.
#2 Thomson: Great points. Mr. Obama has a brief against the United States of America. He is litigating it through this presidency. His understanding of our country’s positive history has been inadvertent, a byproduct of political expediency, as evidenced by his complete lack of interest in his great uncle’s service during World War II until just recently when he perceived it as an asset for purposes of ingratiation.
#8 Zachriel: I believe a bias does exist amongst some Egyptians with regard to a rejection of African roots and a perceived inferiority of African peoples.
One of the things who were evident is that Obama, the supposedly bright guy, the guy who supposedly is ten thousand times than Bush-Hitler-Halliburton is an aignoirant and an idiot.
He praised the tolerance in Sevilla and Cordoba duiring the Inquisition. Now he could be forgiven for not knowing about the pogroms of dhimis in the oh so tolerant Muslim Spain or that on pain of death a dhimi couldn’t strike a Muslim even in legitilate defence or the discrimantions shimis were subject to. Or that a number of Jews ended fleeing to the then relatively tolerant christian states in the North of Spain.
However not knowing that the Inquistion in Cordoba and Sevilla was several centuries later, that it was not precisely about Islam, that it was not precisely about tolerance displays a frightening degree of ignorance and supidity.
Let’s just imagine if Bush had said somethingh half as idiotic.
BTW: Was he a real graduate, an affirmative action one or did he have to benefit of several affiramtive action programs (one for Black, one for non Americans, one for single mothers) in order to be able to graduate?
Arabs are very racist against blacks so Daivd Thomson’s comments are not inaccurate. Egyptians consider themselves as Arabs first and foremost and “Africans” are considered to be the inferior black race. Arabs were amongst the first slave-traders. The supposed hundreds of virgins they are promised in paradise are described as black-hairded, black-eyed and white-skinned. (not brown or black) Every Arab that I met in my travels in the Middle East made no attempt to hide their racism towards blacks.
Michael T (no. 15 post): Obama is running to beat Jimmy Carter as the most inept President ever.
16. JFM wrote:
BTW: Was he a real graduate, an affirmative action one or did he have to benefit of several affiramtive action programs (one for Black, one for non Americans, one for single mothers) in order to be able to graduate?
Peter writes: We don’t know, because he STILL refuses to release a transcript or school-related paperwork.
#15. He’s already there.
“Government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people”
This from a man who just illegally and unconstitutionally used the power of his office to steal up to $11 trillion dollars from the economy for no good or effective reason, and who intends with that stolen, and ill-gtten money to make drunken sailors everywhere look like Silas Marner? Whose sole objective is to destroy the economy and money supply in order to drive the minorities, poor, old, sick and unrepresented into starvation and penury as their fixed incomes are driven by his unconstitutional thefts into worhtlessness? All while he drives the costs of food, employment, energy and simple econmic rights out of the reach of nearly everybody. Just so that he, with his Alinsky/Ayers playbook, can then maintain fascist power over his starving minions forever? What a hypocrite. What a dangerous and economically uneducated hypocrite.
Michael, I remember reading something by Mark Steyn that has stayed with me: when ice cream is mixed with feces,
the result does not taste like ice cream.
The passing of the torch of freedom has to take place, and frankly the crew in the Oval Office look to be more
interested in blowing out that flame, than passing it on. After all, freedom comes in tandem with responsibility.
However, those who refuse to grow up will demonstrate, yet again, how their culture was stunted – and they will
only have themselves to blame.
Also, take this into consideration by David Frum in the June 5, 2009 National Post:
David Frum on Obama in Egypt: Official assent for traditionalist Islam
Posted: June 05, 2009, 9:30 AM by NP Editor
David Frum, Full Comment, U.S.politics
President Obama likes to position himself as an intermediary, explaining two conflicting parties each to the other. He did so in his race speech in Philadelphia, he did so when he spoke about abortion at Notre Dame.
In Cairo, he took a similar position between the United States and the Islamic world. He urged Americans to take a positive view of Islam, and urged Muslims to take a positive view of the United States.
But whereas in Philadelphia and Notre Dame Obama was explaining two groups of Americans to each other, in Cairo he exhibited the amazing spectacle of an American President taking an equidistant position between the country he leads and its detractors and enemies. It is as if he saw himself as a judge in some legal dispute, People of the Islamic World vs. United States. But the job to which he was elected was not that of impartial judge, but that of leader and champion of the American nation.
The President said: “I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear. But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire.”
The same principle? Shouldn’t an American President feel an attachment to his own country above all? Shouldn’t misrepresentations aimed against that country energize him more?
And yet the tone of this speech suggested that if anything, such misrepresentations energize him rather less. Listen to this passage:
I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11. But let us be clear: Al-Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet al-Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.
Well yes, they are facts. But they are also something more: They are wrongs done on a massive scale to the United States by people acting in the name of Islam, wrongs condoned, endorsed and excused by many in the Islamic world. When addressing grievances expressed by some Muslims, the President spoke understandingly and sympathetically.
[T]ension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations.
When speaking of the wrongs done to the United States by people acting in the name of Islam, however, the President mentioned nothing but the bare fact. To that subject, he brought no emotion at all.
Next problem.
The president addressed — surprisingly briefly — the issue of the rights of women in the Islamic world. This is not a small issue, now that the Islamic world extends into Europe and America. Women in cities like London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Oslo face mounting threats not only to their freedom, but even to their physical safety, from men who deploy violence in the name of Islam. Nor is it only Muslim-born women at risk.
Now listen to the President:
I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal.
But it is not only “some in the West” who take this view! It is many Muslim-born women themselves, some of whom live in the West — but others of whom live in Muslim-majority countries. What on earth is an American President doing taking sides on this internal question of Islamic practice?
What’s next — a speech in Jerusalem where the president says, “I reject the view of some in the West that chicken is not a ‘meat’ for kosher purposes”? A speech in Vatican City where the President endorses clerical celibacy?
Such interventions within Judaism and Christianity would obviously be unthinkable. Yet here is an American President intervening in an internal Muslim debate — and not only intervening, but intervening on the more reactionary side!
The risk with this speech from the beginning was that the President would turn his back on the people in the Muslim world who most admire Western freedom — and who most need our understanding and support.
The President:
[I]t is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit — for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We cannot disguise hostility toward any religion behind the pretence of liberalism.
These words are a slap at the government of France, which restricts the wearing of hijab in schools. Yet polls show that a large majority of French teachers support the ban. Possibly these teachers are all bigots. But possibly also they understand that hijab is frequently compelled upon girls — not only by their families but by the youth gangs that patrol French suburban neighbourhoods enforcing Islamic conformity on those who might wish to escape.
Islam is not a monolith, we are often told. And that is true! The Islamic world is also the home of Dr. Younus Shaikh, a Pakistani scholar charged with blasphemy for stating that Islam did not exist before Muhammad.
The Islamic world is the home of the terrorized young gays of Iran. It is the home of Saudi women who want to drive. Did the President have anything to say to them?
No, no and no. For all the speech’s reasonable tone, it persistently treats the more traditionalist elements within Islamic societies as the more authentic and important.
One of the most disturbing things about the Cairo speech is the persistent misrepresentation of history.
It is really absurd to say that Islam for example has “always been a part of America’s story.”
It is something worse than absurd to use a speech on Islam to apologize for America’s part in the overthrow of the Mossadeq regime in Iran in 1953. Mossadeq was a secular nationalist, passionately opposed by Iran’s religious establishment. That establishment finally seized power for itself in 1979, and since then it has made a martyr of Mossadeq. For the United States to apologize to the present Iranian regime for the overthrow of Mossadeq would be a little like president Eisenhower apologizing to Josef Stalin for the murder of Trotsky. Agreed, we didn’t much like Trotsky — but Stalin is not the man to receive that apology, and neither are the mullahs the people to receive an apology for the events of 1953. President Obama would have done better to publish the amount of CIA money the ayatollahs collected in return for opposing Mossadeq!
Throughout the President’s speech, he takes pains to admit and ratify the validity of complaints against the West. This no doubt strikes Obama as a clever piece of ju-jitsu: a harmless concession that opens the way to dialogue and détente.
But what it also does is cut the ground out from under those liberal Muslims and Arabs who reject a victimological approach to their own history. Many of the worst elements in the Islamic world tell a one-sided history that denies or excuses the victimization of others and that throws all blame for frustrations and disappointments upon outsiders. That version of history now commands the assent of an American President. And while he may regard his concessions as empty compliments, they will carry ominous meaning for many who struggle for the freedom to narrate a more honest history.
NewMajority.com
“…I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed…”
But just because you “yearn” for speaking your mind, doesn’t mean that you will be granted the freedom to do so (a.k.a. fairness & localism) or that if you do speak your mind you will not be denounced (a la Limbaugh, Hannity).
And you can have a “say” in how you are governed, before being shut down. Remember his arrogant “I won” he did to Congressional Republicans when he met with them shortly after he assumed office?
“…confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice…” As we now (dis)trust the DOJ to uphold polling place intimidation by Black Panthers? That our border and immigration laws will be upheld? That the Census will be fair, accurate and objective? That Congressional districts won;t be gerrymandered? Etc. etc.
“…[a] government that is transparent…” That we will be able to read legislation before it gets passed and signed? That we will know why Chrysler and GM dealerships are being closed? That we will know how much that “date night” cost? Etc., etc.
Bait and switch. Distraction and deception. Just words. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. The powerful and mighty O is not to be trifled with.
“David Thomson: “Do Egyptians take seriously a man of African descent?”
Um, Egyptians are Africans.”
* * *
It’s my understanding that Cleopatra was Greek; i.e., Caucasian. And you read about the pharoahs and their “Nubian slaves”, which probably means they were importing people who didn’t look like them from Africa.
“African descent” is PC code for “melanin-enhanced” or, less subtly, “black”.
I don’t think it’s just the Egyptians who are totally racist, either, if you read any of the online newspapers from the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is one country, for example, that won’t even allow black people into their country to be abused. All of their help are Filippino, Pakistani, or Indian. And all of their professionals are Caucasians imported from England, America, France or Germany (I wonder why they don’t dip into Russia?).
One more way in which he’s Carter II. Clinton had a narcissistic streak, but he know how and when to control it.
This dude has serious issues, just like Jimmeh.
Egyptians are African when it’s convenient, Arab when it’s convenient, and Caucasian when it’s convenient.
“On the other hand, there were so many errors of history that I was left wondering if there is anyone in the White House that checks facts.”
Michael, obama writes his own version of ‘HIStory’ and damned be the truth.
The people who applauded him are living under Islamic rule. It was strange when so many applauded his appeal for women’s rights. I thought that was pretty courageous, but not of 0bmama, but, for the brave people applauding him each time he mentioned women’s rights. THAT to me was HUGE.
The rest of his pandering to Islam made me want to upchuck.
Dude, get over it. We are not a Muslim nation…well, at least not yet. EGADS.
Not only is Barack Obama am extremely shallow man with average or below intellect, he is a confirmed liar as well as coward. This despicable speech will result in worldwide harm to all freedom loving/striving people.
24. WestWright,
Let’s give 0bama a chance. He’s not done with his 57 states speeches. Surely he can redeem himself somewhere along the line. *cough-cough*
Yeah. Israel and the USA are screwed and 0bama is rubbing salt in the wounds.
Sickening.
Mr. Ledeen,
Let me put it this way, Obama said muslims invented “algebra”. He is wrong. Muslims invented the pen. He is wrong. Muslims invented the magnetic compass. He is wrong. Muslims invented the astrolabe. He is wrong. Muslims invented printing. He is wrong. Finally, President Obama said, “And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.” After being wrong about all those easily verifiable facts, am I to believe he finally got one right ? Nope. He is wrong again. Charles ‘The Hammer” Martel agrees with me.
I’m glad you noticed that President Obama was wrong to credit muslims with those inventions. But, I think you missed the significance of his attempt. Why did Obama credit muslims with those inventions ? He did that to make the case that the islamic world has contributed much to benefit the world. Pens ? Printing ? Algebra ? So, according to Mr. Obama, without muslims, the world would literally be without reading, writing, and arithmetic. But, as you correctly pointed out, muslims didn’t invent those things. Obama counldn’t mention any great muslim inventions, because by and large, there aren’t any. His premise is destroyed. Muslims have not contributed much to the progress of civilization. That Obama was so wrong, on such basic facts, suggests an unfathomable ignorance about Islam.
Further more, I ask you, What is the pathology of a person who will look you in the eye, and say, “I invented pens, printing, and algebra.”, when that is not true ? Probably, it is someone who would deny the Holocaust. Probably, it is someone who would repeat the Holocaust.
Derek
p.s. Obama will say a muslim built USA’s tallest building. He didn’t have the guts to say muslims also destroyed The World Trade Center Towers. He just referred to them as “attacks”.
It is so great to see the wingnuts all a flutter -and think I get to enjoy this for another 7+ years. It is like when the Red Sox finally won the World Series.
As Barack Obama is 3/8ths Arab he gets partially bast the basic racism of the Egypt.
Obama was right that Islam was always a part of America’s story. If they hadn’t cut off European trade with the Orient except on their exorbitant terms, Columbus and his emulators would not have sailed West. And the biggest supplier of kidnapped Africans to the European slave traders who, very profitably, supplied the unquenchable labor needs of the New World were Arab/Muslim raiders. The Royal Navy and Lincoln may have crushed slavery in the West, but the Mulsim raiders to this day have probably not given it up. As a Muslim descendant with roots in Africa is Obama proud of that legacy? I am awaiting his comments. Everyone says Obama has no affiliation with the American descendants of Slaves, but as a descendent of African slave hunters and traders, he certainly has some connection which he has now indirectly acknowledged. Incidentally, if you read the Blue Nile you’ll find one of the worst Arab slave traders and hunters was the 19th Century ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali, a particular fact Cassius Clay never checked when he chose his Muslim name.
I’m not so sure they are so “upset” at his speech at all.
In a culture/religion, in which it is acceptable to lie to achieve your goal “for Allah”, the notion of one liar lying to other regularly lying liars can also be taken as “the cost of doing business” in/with that part of the world.
“On the other hand, there were so many errors of history that I was left wondering if there is anyone in the White House that checks facts.”
Barack Obama and his close associates all graduated from the “best” universities. These historical errors are taught as facts in these allegedly august academic institutions. Obama is a graduate of Harvard University—and therefore one should take it for granted that he received a second-rate, politically correct education.
“President Obama’s most explosive words were about women.”
Indeed, the right he mentioned was the Muslimas’ right to wear the burqa. Cos’ they all just love their shapelessly conformist chastity sack, doncha know? And absolutely none are being coerced to wear it under threat of violence, oh no no no.
What a jerk this guy is.
Mind you, I certainly think Michelle could improve her looks by wearing one.
By intellectually levelling the morals of nations, philosophies, and religions, Obama’s “imaginary” world is a place where there are no wars, and no injustice, a utopia. The “real” world that historically has resulted from blindly pursuing this “imaginary” one is a place where might is right, or where minorities are eliminated by majorities by one means or another.
In the real world, war (and terrorism) has served as the physical process to sort out superior moralities (what is the purpose of a religious war?) Individuals find faith in a philosophy, presumably enough faith that they are willing to fight for it. Clearly Obama would like to believe that faith should be established in all philosphies. But given this frame of mind, how would he fight for any one of them?
Obama’s speech can only resonate with pacifists, not with militants. It did not address the reality of war, jihad, etc…, and as a result, it is more about delivery than substance. Intellectually, not one militant will be swayed. And hence we will still be locked in a conflict of faiths.
26. The Shadow writes:
..and [to] think I get to enjoy this for another 7+ years.”
Enjoy it while you can; I’m thinking 3.5+ years, if that. When all of his chickens come home to roost, the load of crap they’ll drop will be too enourmous for The Vapid One’s scrawny shoulders.
Pre emptive surrender is certainly a new approach. I thought I had entered the Twilight Zone hearing this travesty.
“I’m thinking 3.5+ years, if that.”
I still believe that there is a 50/50 chance that Barack Obama will not finish out his term. The job is too much for him. He will likely resign due to health reasons. Obama’s ego will not be able to handle the inevitable low poll numbers.
“I’m thinking 3.5+ years, if that.”
Do you really think that Obi Won will ever allow another free election if he thinks he might lose?
I’m thinking 35+ years. Then he’ll be followed by his heir, one of the daughters.
Another first; the first heriditary black Muslim female President. I just can’t wait.
“He will likely resign due to health reasons. Obama’s ego will not be able to handle the inevitable low poll numbers.”
David, Barry doesn’t give a flying firetruck about the polls. He won remember. He don’t need you ignorant common folk no mo.
“David, Barry doesn’t give a flying firetruck about the polls.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. Everything has come easy for Obama. He has never really had to work hard for anything in his entire life. Obama has almost always been able to guilt trip gullible white people. When has he ever had to endure low poll numbers? What impact will they have on his self esteem?
Well said, Derek. It was all lies. But how many gullible, uneducated Americans will think these things are true?
BTW, my liberal friends were shocked at his pandering to islam and uncomfortable with his, once again, on the road campaigning overseas!
I told them but they wouldn’t believe me.
“He credited Muslims for inventions of others, from the magnetic compass to algebra to pens, arches, and even to printing.”
Uhh. No he didn’t.
“It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing…”
Innovation and invention are two different words. And Ledeen is still a warmonger.
Frankly I applaud Obama’s effort in give this speech. It is hard to give a speech wearing a giant choke chain and owner’s tags (the Saudi medal). Wonderful effort Mr. President, wonderful effort!
Please excuse my typo in # 47. I was so overjoyed by the speech that I forgot to take my medication. Its funny how this medication helps ever since the time Obama was elected.
I am sure there are lots of people on BHO’s staff who could correct some or all of the egregious factual errors in his speeches. But he is too certain of his “gift” for “oratory” to allow them to do so. What a schmuck.
So, Obama can trace his roots to the first slave traders who captured the blacks that were sold here in the states and he hates white people and jews. He gives a speech to a “religion”. A religion that is rooted in hate.
And people in the US who aren’t Islamic still support him.
I’m beginning to think we won’t need to worry too much about any of his other issues because we will truly become a Muslim nation. So, all you folks who voted for him because he’s pro-abortion, guess what, you won’t be able to get those anymore. All you women who think that he is for womens rights need to find a pretty burqa. And as for socialism, when we are all dhimmis it won’t matter to us anymore.
45. David Thomson writes:
“[with respect to Obam's regard for poll numbers] Nothing could be further from the truth..When has he ever had to endure low poll numbers? What impact will they have on his self esteem?”
David, I am inclined to agree. I also stumbled across some analysis that said, while he was enjoying the high numbers, his policies (or lack thereof) were not. Virtually everything — no, make that everything — he has done has not been met with majority opinion approval. This includes the apologia, the handling of Gitmo, and especially the economy.
I can hear the trolls revving up their keyboards out there, but one cannot practically envision the MSM maintaining the King’s New Clothes act they have been doing if the economy stays in the tank (as it will).
Just this morning, the news was that unemployment was up to 9.4% (nearing 10%) and that we had lost 6 million jobs since this recession started. But, as usual, the report grasped at straws and said that the rate of monthly jobless claims slowed to 350,00 or so.
Well, no sh*t Sherlock! when everyone gets laid off, then there ain’t that many people to lay off anymore.
..also, if one takes a look at the BLS website and concocts a report (I will provide a link later), one sees that these jobless numbers were all over the map during Bush’s and Clinton’s terms as well — although not as consistently stinky (500k and 600k) as Comrade Obama’s numbers.
At some point, the fish will begin to rot and the smell won’t be pretty for our Grey-Poupon-slinging, apologizing, jet-setting Dear Leader and his $500-sneaker-wearing wife.
(Gratuitous shout out to Oscar’s comment #47 — “choke chain”, LMAO!)
uh, my post got swallowed !
ben decidément y’a un probleme
http://www.sandmonkey.org/2009/06/04/the-speech/
a net friend makes his “snarky comment”, though the popuulation doesn’t seem to be deceipted
#21-Quite correct.It totally mystifies me when a see black folks convert to Islam.Then they have a hardon for white people?WTF?and WTF?Well not my problem if they dont know history.
Also, if Obama wanted to make some referrence to History, as he was n Egypt he should have investigated before. The Egyptians are proud of their past, they view themselves as Egyptians first, muslims caome after.
There are many knowledges that were developped in Egypt, some of them reached us through the translation of the hieroglyphes, but lots of them are still lost.
I would have referred to Ptolemee, who is the common demoninator with the old world and the new world.
As an astronom, geograph, matematician, he was aware that the earth wasn’t flat.The Egyptians were the first navigators with the Phoenicians,. He drew maritim maps that helped C. Colombus to dream of India. His maps were robbed by the Turks on an infidel ship, and kept in Istanbul. COlombus made the travel until there to study them.
So whatever knowledge that is developped anywhere in the world become a part of our collective memory, and serves humanity progresses
caome after–> comes after
He trotted out one of his favorite multiculti themes (“no system of government can or should be imposed by one nation by any other”),
And he trotted it out in the faces of the inheritors of the imposition, by violence, of Muslim government over the Middle East, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Africa and formerly Spain (which they’d like to have back again now, if you please).
He went on:
“You must maintain your power through consent, not coercion. You must respect the rights of minorities and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise. You must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.”
This we learn after his own Party shut the Republicans out of drafting the ‘stimulus’ bill, and after his coercion of most of Chrysler’s and GM’s secured bondholders into giving up their rights to priority in full payment of the debts owed by the companies – so that Obama’s cronies in the UAW could be paid off at their expense.
Practice what you preach, Obama ol’ boy, or you can expect your Muslim audience to follow exactly in your own footsteps.
No one is asking what the secular army and citizens of Turkey think of the ‘rght to wear hijab’
I am unaware that tribal costumes were a right.
I beg to differ with those who say that Muslims have not contributed to civilization. However, it seems that adherence to Islam and contributions to society are inversely related. There are many Muslim names now appearing in peer reviewed journals. However, as bright as any Muslim researcher is, he cannot take encouragement from most of classical Islam. His contributions are based upon immersion in institutions of Western origin.
Countdown is now 1324 days 18hrs and about 4 mins til Obbama leaves office–if we are lucky. Courtesy of CFP.
Oops, reached for my medication and took the wrong blue pill and its been over four hours. Marie Claude, Delia help meeeeeeeeeee!
#63 Oscar, calling out to the Ladies on this site? You’ve got balls! Why don’t you scratch them and let “Rosie” handle things for you, whatever there is to handle. You can continue being “overjoyed” by yourself.
Mr. Ledeen, please stop being so politically correct. You believe he means it when he says “… support freedom everywhere,” and “… consent without coersion.” After all we know about Our Dear Leader, both words and actions, please don’t tell me you can’t see the mismatch between what this liar says and what he does. He is total bullshit. The fact that he is insane is no excuse, it is still unadulterated bullshit. Have the guts to call it what it is. His speeches on foreign lands are disloyal to the USA, dangerous, and ignorant. Again, the MSM comments praise him on his style while ignoring his substance which you at least point out is completely fallacious.
Oscar,
“Pfizer offers free drugs, Lipitor, Viagra, to unemployed” (1 year)
did you register there ?
Pat J,
President Obama certainly did credit muslims for the inventions of others. He said,
“As a student of history, I also know CIVILIZATION’S DEBT TO ISLAM. It was Islam – at places like Al-Azhar University – that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.
Why does civiliation have a debt to islam for pens, algebra, and printing ?
…and ,Pat J, is still a tool.
Heloise.
Thank you. I’m sorry to say, probably the vast majority of americans, educated or uneducated, accept his lies. I have yet to see a major media source do a serious fact check on this speech. But, the first one that does will find gold. Twice President Obama glorified Al-Azhar University. I pray to God a major media outlet will do a wiki-search to learn about some of Al-Azhar’s “distinguished” graduates.
Derek
63. Oscar the Grump:
Your hand called, he told me tell you to take it easy!
A classic re-write and perversion of history. I’m unsure as to whether I believe Barry is simply ignorant or naive. Unfortunately the general population really has no clue nor the will to follow up. As far as the muslim leadership and others being upset at some of the things he stated in his speech, muslims upset and outraged, yep, there’s a shocker. Is it 2012 yet?
Once again, we see the ability of Obama to read English. His reading from paper is much more auditorially conducive than his reading from teleprompters, don’t you think?
I want to see him read, for his next speech, “Green Eggs and Ham.” Most of the words are monosyllabic and should present no difficulties in pronounciation for him.
So, I guess the only qualifications for political leaders these days is the ability to read aloud, right? Oh, and agree to be someone’s puppet. Oh, and never, ever think of yourself as a servant to the people.
I’d like to quote Cathy Young, who wrote an article over at RCP regarding Obama’s comment about women’s rights: http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2009/06/05/barack-and-the-women/
“I do believe Obama was right to affirm a woman’s right to choose hijab; quite a few Muslim feminists regard it as a legitimate and positive form of religious expression, no different from the Jewish yarmulke, and quite a few moderately traditional Muslims are alienated by the categorical rejection of the hijab as oppressive. However, it would have been fitting to balance his statement with an assertion of a woman’s right to choose not to cover their hair — a right that, in some countries, they are denied not only by informal pressure and harassment, but by law and official policy.
As for the rest of this passage, it was nice of Obama to assert the importance of educational opportunities for girls and women, but that’s about as uncontroversial as it gets: who, except for the Taliban, disagrees? In all too many Muslim countries, the main problems facing women are far more severe: forced marriage, vastly unequal treatment when it comes to divorce and child custody, and socially sanctioned violence. How can one talk about women’s rights in the Muslim world and not mention honor killings? Or the horrific recent public flogging by a Taliban militia in Pakistan of a 17-year-old girl whose apparent offense was to have stepped outside her house without a male relative escorting her? Or cases in which Islamic courts have sentenced rape victims to death for fornication or adultery when the rape could not be proved under a stringent standard requiring two male witnesses? (While we’re at it, how about the fact that in Islamic courts, the word of a female witness is officially given half the weight of a man’s?) What about female genital mutilation? Against the backdrop of these genuine horrors, literacy programs and micro-financing for young women’s employment look like a rather feeble response. How about first ensuring that the girl who participates in a literacy program doesn’t get brutalized for showing a strand of hair in public?”
Aside from Yes-we-cans and incessant platitudes, Obama’s speeches and interviews contain what I like to Professor-speak — where Obama states something logically consistent at first, but then fails to continue to articulate the implications of what he is stating to the fullest extent.
Allow me to clarify: Obama will say X, and it might make sense, but then he omits whether or not X makes him believe Y and Z — which might then, in turn, make X wrong.
Like most professors I’ve come across, Obama seems to count on his listening audience to be unaware that Y and Z even exist. For those who ARE aware of Y and Z, this kind of preying on ignorance seems no more than a form of parasitic intellectualism.
Essentially, whenever President Obama answers a question, smart guy that he is, he states his position, and then subtly re-asks the question to himself using different terminology, plays devil’s advocate, states both sides of the coin, and claims each side to be his own. Rather than truly addressing the issue, Obama instead expresses all sides of the issue and explains all of the views that someone could possibly hold regarding the issue. This leaves the less sharp and inattentive listeners with the impression that Obama agrees with them somehow, someway.
He’s never failed telling someone what they want to hear, and what they think they already know. Call it for what it is, but it isn’t leadership.
Mr. Ledeen did the best summation of the Cairo speech I have read and made an honest effort to be fair-minded while addressing its many shortcomings. I rate it a poor performance in almost every respect. Like most of his speeches, it was far too long and wandering. It was largely an extension of his permanently on-going campaigning: obviously contrived as much to impress the home audience as to sway the Muslim listeners. It reeked of incompetence in the area of the dynamics of foreign relationship and assurance in the dominant role America plays in world affairs. He criticized his predecessrs for “dictating” and then came out with a list of the things they “must” do if they want him to be nice to them.
I cannot see how the Muslim leaders he addressed, with their unshakeable belief in “strong horse” leadership and unapologetic exercise of power, could come away with anything other than contempt for a fool and a determination to make god use of his weakness.
Obma’s reputation for his speeches continues to amaze me. He the classic ham-actor gasbag. He makes incredible claims and undeliverable promises, he lies, he uses incorrect figures, he praises himself, he evades the issues, he offers no explanations, all in revival-tent gospel style, and anchor men pee down teir leg.
Who writes his stuff? Who all is involved in getting those words up on the screen? He doesn’t write them himself – his college and professional careers offer no example of skilled composition- or ANY composition. His books were unquestionably ghost-written. It was revealed, in the Hillary-groping photo, that one of his writers is in his mid-20′s with nothing but a college backround. Who puts these messes together and approves them for release? I know they believe in his power t charm his left-wing disciples, but srely they must realize that, when he speaks officially abroad, he is talking to some hard-nosed pros, wiling to such up to him on camera and trip him up at the earliest opportunity. Vague white-flag waving isn’t going to cut it with the Arabs – or anyone else.
Just another meaningless and open-ended rambling of claptrap , lacking firm statement or defining of explicit consequences. And, above all, apologizing for our past meanness of spirit and screwing up, offering himself as the leader for a new, unified, single-party global scoialist economy.
“Essentially, whenever President Obama answers a question, smart guy that he is, he states his position, and then subtly re-asks the question to himself using different terminology, plays devil’s advocate, states both sides of the coin, and claims each side to be his own. Rather than truly addressing the issue, Obama instead expresses all sides of the issue and explains all of the views that someone could possibly hold regarding the issue. This leaves the less sharp and inattentive listeners with the impression that Obama agrees with them somehow, someway.”
And this is the glory, doncha know, of being a community organizer instead of a leader.
You just keep facilitating and facilitating all day long–and never actually DO ANYthing!
Michael – while Obama may have “talked” democracy, his actions speak much louder – he has CUT the amount of money the US is willing to spend on democracy programs in Egypt. See today’s Wall Street Journal editorial on the matter here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124424627384290569.html#mod=djemEditorialPage
Besides that – I simply don’t trust him – always read between and behind his telepromted, well-scripted lines to get at the truth, which is generally not even close to what passes his well groomed lips.
forget obama…. obama is a clown that can’t decide whose hand to shake and whose teeth to break….
the real action taking place is in the netherlands… it is geert wilders’s trial. watch that…. that will be the turning point on the planet…
It is important that the justice system takes on islam by it’s dirty filthy evil horns.
The full planet is looking towards holland in this . GEERT W . is a great and brave man. Is holland ready to deal with islamic pedophilia ? Get ready to hear the truth. This case is a good thing. Future women and children will be free from the clutches of this insane 7th. century evil cult that is being spread like wildfire because of petroleum money. Our thoughts are with you Mr. Geert w. thank you for all of mankind.
Queen Michelle missed Cairo. She of course is chillin france right now. How racist on her part. She doesn’t want to be seen around Muslims?
Last night they turned down dinner with sarkozy. so many camera opportunities.
If even Michael Ledeen doesn’t understand who Obama is then we have certainly lost the fight.
Mr. Ledeen: Just by making the speech in Cairo, the home of Qtub and the Muslim Brotherhood, and not in Iraq, where Americans died – and are dying – for Arab freedom, Obama has shown (again) what he thinks of us and of them.
And with his traitorous statement about one people being elevated over another he has , once again, denied the very existence of American Exceptionalism.
Obama: No one elevated us. We were elevated by Freedom.
And let’s not forget the later speech in Germany, where he spent a half hour insulting Germans and making Angela Merkel look around for her Taser.
A total disaster. If this speech wasn’t as bad as you thought it might be, then what the hell were you expecting?
It makes me sick to think of him saying that one system of government is no better than another. Let us stive for mediocrity.
According to the idiot-in-chief when Muslim imperialists, without provocation, invade and conquer Christian lands (e.g. Spain) and then inflict Muslim overlordship on the Christian population for the next several centuries, that’s an example of Muslim tolerance; but when Christians reconquer lands from the Muslim imperialists (like Palestine, for example), that’s western colonialism.
And just about everything he said was just as full of crap as the above nonsense.
The POTUS is a vacuous idiot, and all he’s doing is spewing boilerplate, anti-American, anti-western leftist propaganda (the same baloney commies have been spewing for generations). He’s a tool and a fool in the bargain, because his mealy-mouth verbal appeasement isn’t going to work any better than our pouring $2 billion a year into Egypt has. They take the money, and still hate our guts, and going to Cairo to spew a few absurd lies that Muslims will enjoy isn’t going to change that one little bit.
All Democrats are idiots, but I think this buffoon may well be the biggest idiot the Democrats have ever spawned.
If Obama doesn’t allow free elections by choice, we’ll have to force him then, even if that means war.
I strongly recommend everyone visit The Rubin Report for another even more critical analysis of Obama’s speech. Barry Rubin is a middle east scholar and author.
CAIRO SPEECH REVEALS THE INNER OBAMA
The world sees a self-centered Utopian, hears some Bush speak and gets no new information. Lots of hope, no change.
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/common-sense-review-of-obamas-cairo.html
“David Thomson: “Do Egyptians take seriously a man of African descent?”
Um, Egyptians are Africans.”
Actually, no they are not. Egypt is on the same continent that Westerners call Africa, but Africans are considered those from Sub-Saharan Africa. Egyptians are considered Arabs, which are different from Africans.
Arabs are considered Mediterranean. To call an Egyptian African is the same as calling a Korean Chinese.
I just say 3rd worlder and don’t sweat the details. Turd Worlders if I’m feeling rude.
So far, everything the Obama administration has done is exactly as we right-wing-nutjobs predicted during the campaign. This includes:
The danger of electing a non-U.S.-born man to be President. Our Founding Fathers knew the danger of divided loyalties in our President. Here you see it, the contempt for his own country.;
We called him a secret Muslim – taquiyya. Then he bows to the Saudi King. He kowtows to the Muslims. Dar al Islam.;
We called him ignorant; poorly-read. Witness all his inaccuracies.;
We called him a gross liar. He says anything expedient to placate, but means only ill.;
We called him a Socialist. We said he had no concern for the law, especially election law. Cases get dropped. His supporters are immune to the law. He abrogates contracts unilaterally. He bullies debtholders like he bullied voters at the Iowa caucuses. He won.;
How about warnings of spending? Beyond even our rightwing imaginings. We were simply inadequate in our imagination. We were absolutely incapable of such horrific thinking.
I could go on, but you get the point. So far, we have been proven right all along. Mock us if you wish. I pray we are wrong. I pray hyper-inflation comes not. I pray such a crisis does not get used as an excuse for greater infringements of liberties. I pray that it leads not to armed revolution. The winner will institute a huge ideological pogrom. Whoever wins will offer only bondage, and the Tytler Cycle will be complete.
Even without such a revolution, bondage is in our future, at the least financial bondage to China, as it assumes its place as the world’s new great superpower. We will then follow England’s empire to ruin and impotence.
Marc Malone (#86) you are RIGHT. Now go get a copy of David Aikman’s book “When the Almond Tree Blossoms” and read it carefully and pass it on… I asked David once if he would be writing a sequel… “no, there’s no reason to do that,” he responded, “as the sequel is being written right now before our eyes.”
Bob from Virginia (and I know who you are!) – here’s the link to Barry Rubin’s blog The Rubin Reports: http://rubinreports.blogspot.com and especially these comments: http://rubinreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/speaking-flattery-to-power.html AND http://rubinreports.blogspot.com/2009/06/obama-at-buchenwald-problem-isnt.html
Correction to Ledeen’s remarks on Spain: Andalusia and Cordoba WERE relatively enlightened during the time of Ibn Ezra; Jews rose to prominence under this “Golden Age” but as Ledeen points out, it was earlier than the President suggested. More important, it was exceptional; the Almohades, the jihadis of their day, conquered southern Spain and gave Jews the choice of conversion or death, not simply dhimittude. Some Jews, such as the family of Maimonides fled to north africa including Egypt where Maimonides thrived but Jews were subordinate. Others fled to northern, Christian Spain, which until 1391 was relatively safe for Jewish life. The hellish next century culminating in the expulsion of Jews in 1492 and the end of any Muslim territory is the part of history best known; the Almohades invasion is often overlooked.
The omissions Ledeen points out in the President’s remarks on Iran including its support for terror world wide is particularly interesting and worrying in regard to Iran’s activities in South America. There Iran has not only supported Hizbullah terror but is supporting and deepening ties with Chavez and Ortega. Given the President’s mild response to both these dictators one wonders about the effect Obama’s policies will have on America’s strategic rear.
I wonder what Ledeen thinks about the President’s use of the word “resistance” to characterize Palestinian Arab conflict with Israel. Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement) [p.8 Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad Matthew Leavitt]. Does the President know this? Do his advisors? It would be enlightening to know whether the word was included in the President’s speech in ignorance of or with knowledge of this fact. The former gives credence to the notion that he is a pragmatic progressive balancing, as his speech did, the spectrum of American opinion. The latter gives credence to the belief that he is an unrepentant radical, wisely echoing many traditional American themes while using code words to the far left that his goals are their goals but he is moving carefully and slowly to co-opt the moderate Left and the center on the road to a fundamental transformation of the United States. Obviously one example either way is far short of proof but the use of code words bears watching. Let’s hope this concern is exaggerated.
I don’t know what is worse, my current condition or the cramp in my hand.
Thank you all those who showed some concern for my current medical condition. I really appreciate your input.
Can anyone out there give me some tips on how to fix the hole in my bathroom door?
Marie Claude, more pills?
WhyamInotsurprized?
I want to thank you for your excellent advice. You seem to have much expertese in this subject. We will all look to you now as a mentor. Keep up your good work.
Ms Attitude
I wasn’t aware that my hand had vocal abilities.
Can you lip read?
Oscar, more pills ? ummm, not good for your heart, and you know how we need you in good moral health
Excerpts from the draft of the speech left on the cutting room floor…
“..and the Persians brought to the West the Veggiematic Juicer, the Flo-Bee, the Onion Fryer, the Orange-Glo Cleaning system, and of course the Sham-Wow..”
“…and it was during the American Civil War of 1812 that the Sultan Juan Carlos Sayed came to Lincoln and bestowed upon him the Automatic Rifle, with which Sargent Fury and his Howling Commandos used to defeat the South and its unholy alliance with the Mujahadeen of Costa Rica…”
Thank goodness he left these out or he might have been looked at as an historical illiterate!
My president chose to make his Grand Opening To the Muslem World speech at Cairo’s Al Azhar University, where Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi is Grand Imam, having been promoted to that post in 1996 after publishing his great scholarly work, Intro To Islam, (700 pages) which includes the following passage among many others of its kind:
[The] Koran describes the Jews with their own particular degenerate characteristics, i.e. killing the prophets of Allah [Koran 2:61/ 3:112], corrupting His words by putting them in the wrong places, consuming the people’s wealth frivolously, refusal to distance themselves from the evil they do, and other ugly characteristics caused by their deep-rooted lasciviousness…only a minority of the Jews keep their word…[A]ll Jews are not the same. The good ones become Muslims [Koran 3:113], the bad ones do not…, and who in 1997 issued a fatwa condoning, even sanctifying, suicide bombing. What kind of symbolism, or as they say in diplomacy, “message,” is that? (From an article by Robert Spencer)
To me Mr Obama is the finest American orator since at least Kennedy and King. But aside from the excellent delivery and use of language, his flattery of Muslem culture was just that — flattery. It brought to my mind Dylan’s: “His tongue it could not speak but only flatter.” Maybe it’s just good politics to be a gracious guest, even stooping to lie to one’s hosts. “Respect” issued from stories of untruths and half-truths, however, is bound to crumble.
And there were lots of lies and disingenuous statements: Muslems did not invent any of the things he said they did. The Chinese invented the magnetic compass and printing; (Gutenberg invented not printing, but movable type); non-Muslim Hindu Indians invented algebra and the decimal numbering system; European Christians invented the university; etc…
America is not a major Muslem country; there’s never been easy co-existance between Islam and the West, or Islam and anybody; Jefferson’s relationship with Islam was a response to piracy; Muslems have not contributed meaningfully in America’s history (that I know about); Palestinian “displacement” was a result of Arab nations losing a war of annhiliation, not Israel’s creation; comparing women’s struggles in the US with women’s status in Arab lands; and more…
Quoting Koranic suras seemed to please many, but Mr Obama did so disingenuously, as he omitted those parts of citations that did not make his “can’t we all just get along” points. For example, he said, “As the Holy Koran tells us, ‘Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.’ ” Sounds good. But the sura actually ends with: “O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him). — 9:120-123 His listeners in Cairo knew that; Americans don’t.
I felt that most egregious, bordering on disgusting, was sugesting an equivalence between the Holocaust, black African slavery (in which Muslems were and continue to be complicit) and Palestinian refugee status.
And as to contributions to physics and astonomy?: [Frank Tipler, Ph.D., author "The Immortality of Physics"] “the leading Muslim theologians declared the idea of fixed physical laws to be heretical. The Qur’an (verse 6:64) states: “The Jews have said, ‘God’s hand is fettered.’ Fettered are their hands, and they are cursed for what they have said. Nay, but His hands are outspread; He expends how He will.”
The standard Muslim interpretation of this passage has been that there cannot be unchanging physical laws because Allah may change the laws at any moment. In 1982, the Institute for Policy Studies in Islamabad, Pakistan, criticized a chemistry textbook by saying: “There is latent poison present in the subheading Energy Causes Changes because it gives the impression that energy is the true cause rather than Allah. Similarly it is unIslamic to teach that mixing hydrogen and oxygen automatically produces water. The Islamic way is this: when atoms of hydrogen approach atoms of oxygen, then by the Will of Allah water is produced.” That’s science?
“There was one truly great “Muslim” physicist, the Nobel Prize winning Pakistani, Mohammed Abdus Salam. (Salam, a friend to Einstein, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 for his research on the Grand Unification Theory.) Salam belonged to the Ahmadi sect of Islam, a sect that accepts modern science. But in 1974, the Pakistani parliament declared the Ahmadi sect heretical, and its members are currently being persecuted in Pakistan. Contemporary Muslim historians generally do not list Salam as an important Muslim scientist. Had he remained in Pakistan, he … would have been killed.”
On the other hand, reaffirming the US ties and commitment to Israel was courageous under the circumstances. And more, that what governments say behind closed doors should be said publicly, were it to happen — don’t hold your breath — would be jaw-droppingly enlightening, and, I suspect, disillusioning. In fact, I am left wondering what Mr Obama and King Abdullah talked about behind closed doors. Was our president threatened with blackmail about oil price rises?
And he did basically call Ahmadinijad a hateful ignoramous, which could not have been missed in Iran. But aside from that, I did not hear anything about an Iranian bomb, merely the most dangerous issue in the world today.
I was astonished that he did not invoke the name of Anwar Sadat. Does anyone have a clue why not?
So, I agree with him. Speak truth, because truth is more powerful than lies. But he did not.
Yes, Hussein Obama is really living up to his first name. “We told you so” seems somehow cliche at this point.
Is there a way we could get McCain back?
Hell, even Ralph Nader would have been tougher on the mullahs in Iran! At least Ralph has tons of real accomplishments and gobs of decency going for him.
Listen, one of these days, sooner or later (& I bet on the ‘sooner’) this appeasing-naive-stupid-moronic-pie in the sky-fake-childish-simpletonic-dumb-shallow-Condi Rice-esque–Bob Gate-ish–John Kerry-ish–Ayatollah Jimmy Carter-ish–EU-ish–Euromullah(read Khatami and Moussavi Mafia) proponenting–Islamic fascism kiss assing– Iran regime boots licking–phony “”"”policy”"”" will blow up in Hussein Obama’s face —
Literally.
And the worst of it is that he’s taking us down with him cause the shrapnels will surely hit us all, as well as hitting the Iranian people who will pay with blood for a new, improved US-supported Islamic Republci of Terror in Tehran.
Shame on Hussein Obama for he knows what he is doing.
There seems to be a lot of hysteria in these responses, although many of them are good. I would remind some people though: do not fall for Obama’s straw-men. It is Obama who constantly conflates criticism of him that is false — that he’s Muslim or not American, for example — with legitimate criticism of him (his associations, his views, etc.) thereby undermining all criticism. It would be like Bush sarcastically going “Yeah, and I guess we should listen to those 9/11 conspiracy nuts too!” every time someone questioned his economic policies.
Don’t allow Obama to do that. Hit him on the stuff that’s legitimate and can be proven.
As for the country, we’ll be fine. Four or eight years is a blip on the radar screen in the grand scheme of things. Yes, Obama’s economic/energy/and national security policies can hurt us for a long period of time, but in the end rationality and reason will prevail. We’ve already endured 6 months of this. Another 18 to 20, and we’ve entered the 2012 campaign period, where Gingrich, Romney (and hopefully Giuliani) can all challenge Obama for his weakness.
I stumbled across this website while reading an e-mail from Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
I’m glad I did.
You all almost without exception are very,very well educated in history. Much better than Sheik Obama for certain. All of His Man-Child’s major first’s have been directed not to his countrymen(??), but towards Muslims. When I learned his first “first” was to Muslims, I knew then I had voted correctly for John McCain. As did 45% of voting Americans.
If you have not read “Obamanation” by Joe Corsey, Jr. I do encourage you to do so. I read it after the elction and was even happier I had voted as I did. After reading every one of the comments on this article, I am regaining hope that not all Americans are shallow, illiterate, unthinking, and self-absorbed people for who “the game”, be it football, baseball, or basketball and The Simpsons are the end and be all of life.
Carry on the good work.
GEORGE BUSH, THE IRAQ WAR AND OBAMA’S CAIRO SPEECH (IN REPSONSE TO DAVID HOROWITZ)
In defending his guarded praise of Obama’s Moslem outreach speech in Cairo, David Horowitz writes:
“What the speech did was say, the American way of tolerance, democracy, equality of women and religious freedom is the way of the future. Embrace it and we will support you. That was the Bush line that the Democrats hated before their man entered the White House.”
That was the Bush line, and it was refreshing to hear. But Barack Obama is no George W. Bush. Bush’s passion, commitment, energy and idealism for spreading democracy in the Middle East and the world is terribly lacking in Obama. While Obama in his speech said that “the Iraqi people are better off without Saddam” (and that too was refreshing to hear), he nevertheless still opposes the Iraq War and apologizes for it everywhere believing it was a huge and costly mistake. As US-Moslem relations was the centerpiece of Obama’s speech, and improving those relations is the core of his foreign policy, knowing what he knows today Obama would never have ordered the Iraq invasion and the toppling of Saddam. Why? Because a Shia dominated democracy in Iraq wasn’t worth the damage it caused to US-Sunni relations-which for Obama has more weight, value and importance for US strategic interests than the spread of democracy in the region.
The Iraq War was a preemptive war of necessity for ridding the world of a monster; a pan-Arab imperialist who was a major training, funding and arming source for deadly, murdering jihadist thugs; who wouldn’t have stopped until he became the Joseph Stalin of the Middle East armed with nuclear bombs and dominated its oil wealth.
The Iraqi people aren’t the only ones who benefited from the Iraq War and Saddam’s fall; thanks to George W. Bush the entire region and world, whether they acknowledge it or not, are better off for the reasons stated above. But don’t waste your breath trying to convince Obama of that. If Obama had the power to turn back the clock he would not have invaded Iraq and left Saddam in power believing, as he said in 2002, “that Saddam could have been contained,” a ridiculous notion given the prior collapse of the containment regime-the UN Oil for Food Program.
In short, if Obama had won the 2000 presidential election Saddam Hussein, the terror king of Baghdad, would still be ruling Iraq and possibly menacing the world with nukes, a North Korea raised to the 3rd degree of danger.
As for Obama’s speech it was based on the false premise that the clash between Islam, America and the West derives from misunderstanding, misperception and the misconduct of the US-mistakes and errors capable of atonement and resolution through diplomacy, negotiations, the appeasement of grievances and apologies for past wrongs (including the Iraq War). This wrongheaded approach, with the president taking a morally neutral stand in a war of good verses evil, of democracy, progress, prosperity and hope verses tyranny, regression, destitution and despair, is a catastrophe in the making; a catastrophe from which, God willing, much good will come as it did from the blunders of Jimmy Carter.
Google ApolloSpeaks
Wow, what a great big bunch of hateful losers we have here, definitely representing the fringe 5% of the “conservative” base. Mr. Ledeen’s analysis was mostly fair given his ideological leanings, but he should be ashamed of most of his posting readers. Listen to your words describing our President, they equal or best the “hateful” postings about our last president, which I am sure most of you spent far too much time criticizing. This president has a herculean task ahead of him to get our country back on track due to the many problems either ignored or begun by our last president. Some of it was bad luck, but there you go. Of course, you guys will have none of it, and blame the leftists, dhimmicrats, Obama’s hidden muslim past, fifth column MSM, and on and on for all the problems are country is facing. But never will you guys look in the mirror and acknowledge the fact that your lunatic fringe has a gotten a bit too big in the britches and is driving far too much of the Republican and conservative policy agenda. Until you do acknowledge that these ideas are at least partly to blame for our country’s current crises, then you will continue to bleed out the young and the moderate and the non-white away from your side of the political fence. So enjoy barking in the emptying echo-chamber with the rest of the truthers, bigots, and mouth-breathers that still can’t accept they were beaten fair and square in a FREE election and instead of manning up and working towards getting this country back on track, skulk in the hallways of the internet muttering about conspiracy theories, until every now and then one of you gets heated enough to apply that rhetoric in real life. Have you no decency?
Keep it up and maybe enough of those who no longer feel welcome in the “big” tent of the GOP (those moderates, fiscal conservatives, the young, homosexuals, minorities and others not wanting to be Democrats) , will form a real opposition party that has real ideas and solutions for continuing to make our country great. Until then, enjoy life in the peanut gallery.
Moussavi is a real Bassiji Falange;
See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9UTF2lzXNQ&feature
Michael, thank you for the insight you offer. I really love learning about history and just wonder how some people can talk so much on a subject about which they know so little.
Dear President Obama! Your rhetoric always full of words of appeasement and subservience and garnished with honeyed words and smooth, your speech in Cairo was merely as a repudiation of Mr George W. Bush’s administration wrecking-ball approach to the Muslim world, in particular, the Middle East.
While President Bush would never have criticized the US military or your intelligence community on foreign soil and in front of a Muslim audience who extremely scorn you and extremely eager to martyrdom, Mr President Bush’s administration was taken to task for refusing to recognize or do anything about the nefarious role played by state sponsors of extremism such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan in the spread of radical Islam and wasn’t absolves the evil regimes of evil intent, while your administration ,surprisingly, has already gone beyond all that, with a policy of pandering and appeasement.
Some consider your Cairo speech as light years away from the hateful rhetoric of the former President Mr. George W. Bush years, but obviously your speeches, Mr President, are the rhetoric always flowery and somewhat subdued and beauty in the language, always a honeyed words and smooth and easy to read. As usual it’s the nature of your rhetorics. But WE WANT DEEDS, NOT SWEET WORDS!!!
In your recent speech in Cairo, you proposed a new beginning between the U.S. and Muslim world by engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect, garnishing your speech with an Arab phrases and references to peaceful coexistence in religious texts including the Koran. You attempts to ameliorate tension between the United States and the Muslim world as you think, AS IF “presently” there are no mutual interests or mutual respect relationships between the U.S. and Muslim world!
Mr. President! From the perspective of the Muslim world, generally, any action by United States for Muslims goodness is described always as Zionist conspiracy between America and Israel. Therefore any mutual interests or mutual respect relationships between the U.S. and Muslim world also are described as Zionist conspiracy. So I do not think there will be new beginning between the U.S. and Muslim because the Moslems do NOT want peaceful coexistence with the USA or Israel. Indeed this is a major cause of resentment where the Muslims and Arabs are strongly they believe in conspiracy theory.
Was war of Kuwait liberation a conspiracy? The United States and its allies from the NATO supported Muslims against Christians in the Balkan war in the1990s. Was it a conspiracy between the West and Israel, too? The United States gave and gives a lot of help of Muslims when a nature catastrophe happens. The US always stands up with Moslems agony!!! Let alone immense financial aids given annually in milliards of dollars from United States to Muslim nations who scorn the United States values , for instance, Egypt you have chosen for your speech, is recipient of billions of the U.S. dollars annually as a human aid from “the Great Satan” according to their claim.
Mr. President, you have said some nice things about religious freedom and the democratic aspirations of all people on the planet. But Mr. President George Bush had been saying basically the same thing FOR YEARS! At the same time, you praised the Saudi King Abdullah as a champion of interfaith dialogue, that King who a ruler of the most religiously intolerant country on earth, where the Saudi royal family has maintained its tough commitment and mightily to propagating Islamic-fascism widely at home and a abroad, where the Saudis provide money for terrorist groups and support a global network of radical Wahhabi mosques and schools that indoctrinate young Muslims in the ways of Jihad. Mr. President, you have praised the King that who has made the Saudi enormous oil proceeds in service of Jihad against so-called infidels “Zionists and Crusaders.” but does not matter, once you have knelt to him!!!
Regarding democracy, Mr Obama recognizes that such change is likely to be evolutionary, not revolutionary, and that the United States will not try to impose a democratic form of government anywhere in the world and not by force of arms.
In your words: “While we support the ideal of democracy in government, we will never, ever attempt to impose democracy by force.”
–President Obama, you didn’t mention that United States indeed imposed democracy by force of arms during the World War II and that strong supports for Peaceful Revolutions in Central and Eastern of Europe was revolutionary, NOT evolutionary, such as “Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and recently the Georgia’s Rose Revolution (2003) and Ukraine’s Orange Revolution (2004)”. And today and surprisingly, you Mr. President have neglected the revolution of eruption of pent-up rage against the repressive Government in Iran, which is a rebellion of a sort seldom seen in the 30-year history of the Islamic Republic. And those American noblemen of “American Right Wing”, that Americans who you want to end their mindset, they have long said that the Iranian people despise the regime, do not want an Islamic Republic, and wish to be part of the Western world, not part of a fanatical regime. And those noblemen have been beating this drum FOR YEARS. Alas!!!
Mr. Obama’s words: “But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradiction between development and tradition. Countries like Japan and South Korea grew their economies while maintaining distinct cultures.”
–Indeed, the economies of Japan and South Korea have grown only thanks to impose democracy by force. The US is Benevolent Empire for nations and that American Colonialism had played a benevolent effective role for nations, where the United States colonialism helped to create a economies many countries and made it a high notable standing and respected between the nations. ONLY THANKS TO AMERICAN MIND, that Japan is the second largest economic power in the world, and South Korea is one of the biggest economic powers in the world. They consider developed nations and have a similar economic system and welfare to the West and of course that countries today consider are of the biggest economic powers in the world also thanks to their FREE PEOPLE, but above all thanks to the US COLONIALISM, Mr President!!!
Mr. President, you have pointed that Muslims as being at the forefront of innovation and education in his words: “As a student of history, I also know civilization’s debt to Islam… that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music….And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.”
–Mr. President! This is baseless and thoroughly incorrect. In fact, we Muslims, we have not been at the forefront of anything, Muslims was declared un-Islamic ten centuries ago and replaced by blind obedience to reactionary sharia dogma (Koran, and traditions of Muhammad), which ushered in a cultural and intellectual stagnation that is yet to be overcome. Muslims are very skilled in the culture of devastation and destruction, while we have amazing technology only a great thanks to the western mentality and the culture of Enlightenment, especially to Jewish mind, while Muslims still living the culture of darkness and backwardness.
President Obam, said: “I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America’s story. And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress.”
–And that fundamentalist Islam became a real threat to your values, your lives and even became a real threat to your existence, American. And that Muslim became provide money for terrorist groups, and at the same time he urges Muslims to Jihad against so-called infidels “Zionists and Crusaders.”
Moslems do NOT want to built your buildings, rather they attacked your tallest buildings and have been murdered your people. They are just good in spreading the culture of destruction and suicide.
Mr. President Obama’s words “there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.”
– Mr President, we know that all Jihadis came from mosques.
As for women in Muslim World, as we all know, women are diminished in Muslim world, where women are most cursed and scorned, there are a crimes of dishonor wash, and they have no property rights, and are compelled to cover entire their bodies, including their hair. They are in black bags similar to frightening ghosts, no one capable to distinguish their rear from front as if their life all time is a mournful. Mr. President Obama, the women in Muslim world they are the real hope for freedom and democracy, but it is very sadly – you Mr. President – in your speech, never once did you mention the right of Muslim women to refuse to cover up their bodies. Those rights denied on pain of arrest and death by the same societies you was addressing.
Mr. President! The honor of womenfolk was never in danger. There are no records in pre-Islamic Arab culture, where a victorious Arab tribe violated the honor of the womenfolk of the defeated tribe. The pre-Islamic Arabs also did not practice polygamy, or even the crimes of dishonor wash. The pre-Islamic Arab womenfolk never wore the Hijab (veil), Niqab (veil, mask), nor were they confined to a women’s chamber.
Mr. President! We do NOT want the life’s quotidian joys “our women” draping in black abayas. We WANT them educate, and WANT them to choose the career they WANT, the number of children they WANT and the husbands they WANT. We need women’s protection against slaughter in the name of shame “adultery”. We WANT them to be FREE. Obviously those women suffered ruthlessly under domination of Taliban and NO ONE has felt that suffering. But ONLY THANKS to using power a very simplistic and normal life came back to the Afghan society such as shave of beards, music, and women’s joining schools and television. I simply wonder! Why some denies that war was illegal, while that war has GAVE something very very valuable to people, that war GAVE them their basic simplistic rights to live a normal life. So it is very very necessary as well to respect our very simple request for FREEDOM!!! It is very necessary you feel in suffering oppressed nations, they need YOU, Mr. President.
In Ankara, I made clear that America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam.”
–Mr. President and that Islam is quite at War with you. It is very clear that Islam wants to control you so that destroy your life and your values.
President Obama: “But let us be clear: al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day (9/11). The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations … And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.”
– Mr. President, you do NOTHING at your War with Al-Qaeda and the Terror Masters, unfortunately you became their good advocate in the White House.
“The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism – it is an important part of promoting peace.”
–Mr. President! The message of Allah to humanity recommends peace as the Holy Koran teaches us as follow, this is just a bit of the message of Allah to humanity:
Chapter 008 “Surah” /Verse 060 AL-ANFAL (SPOILS OF WAR, BOOTY)
[Make ready your strength to the utmost of your power against them (You shall prepare for them all the force and cavalry you can muster "mobilize" against them), and of horses tethered (including steeds of war) the enemies that thereby ye may dismay the enemies of Allah and your enemies" to strike terror terribly into the hearts of the enemies of Allah and your enemies" by murdering them, namely, the disbelievers. besides others who are not known to you, namely, the hypocrites or the Jews and non-Muslims; whom ye may not know, but Allah knows them. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of Allah will be repaid to you generously, and ye shall not be treated unjustly (and ye will not be wronged) your reward will not be diminished].
Chapter 004 “Surah” /Verse 089 AN-NISA (WOMEN)
[They wish that you disbelieve as they have disbelieved, then you become equal. Do not consider them friends (do not take friends from among them, namely Jews, Christians, non-Muslims, and today include tolerant Muslims); unless they mobilize along with you in the cause of Allah (flee in the way of Allah). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever you find them; and (in any case) you shall not accept them as friends (do not take any of them as a patron), or allies (and choose neither friend nor helper from among them)]
“We also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan…. Let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein.”
–It is very clear that Iraqi people are better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, of course ONLY THANKS TO COURAGEOUS DECISIONS of the previous administration!!!
At this point, you Mr. President have struck a balanced tone with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where you equated the Holocaust to the suffering and pain of Palestinians “As usual pro-Palestinian rhetoric”, and you reiterating your call to end settlements. And you think you demonstrating historical magnanimity with all these moral equivalences, your words: “Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Six million Jews were killed.”
“On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people – Muslims and Christians – have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations – large and small – that come with occupation.”
–This parallelism amounts to the fictitious Arab narrative that the deliberate mass murder of six million Jews for the crime of being Jewish is analogous to a Jewish-driven violation of Palestinian rights. You just set the Holocaust side-by-side with the suffering and pain of Palestinians for more than 60 years. And though, you President Obama, made no emotive references to the intolerable suffering of Israeli victims by Arab terrorist organizations and for more than 60 years.
President Obama’s words: “The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.”
–It was therefore no mishap that for the first time a U.S. president has denied the legitimacy of Israeli settlements. Such an assertion abrogates every agreement between Arabs and Israelis.
“But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.”
–But I see you, Mr. President; YOU do NOTHING for FREEDOM, except the rhetoric full of words of appeasement and subservience and are garnished with honeyed sweet words.
“Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia, where devout Christians worshipped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country. That is the spirit we need today.”
–I would like to ask you Mr. President Obama! Do Christians worship freely in the mother of Islam “Saudi Arabia”? Do Jews worship freely on the lands of Muslims?
Finally, your speech it was NOT honest about the situation in the Middle East, NOT honest about the threat from Iran, NOT honest about Israel’s deep and honest desire to be allowed to live in peace with its neighbors, and not honest about the determination of Al-Qaeda, Iran’s Shiite clergy, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, Saudi Arabia’s Wahhabis, and the Syrian Baath party. You quite aware that they all working together to wipe Israel from the face of earth and to destroy the US interests in the region, and to gain the weapons necessary to do so despite really they together do that every single day. And you quite know that both opportunistic neutrals “Russians and Chinese” are quite satisfied with their evil behavior toward the US.
Mr. President! Your speech was an insult to the Jewish people, a distortion of history, and an abandonment of very real human-rights victims in the Arab and Muslim worlds without any interest from your administration!!!
Mr. President, Your speech was an insult to people who risk in their life for their FREEDOM. Alas!!!
ONCE AGAIN, WE WANT DEEDS, NOT HONEYED WORDS, WE WANT HARD-LINE!!!
May God bless the United States of America, and bless freedom everywhere on the earth.
Jassem Othman, Syrian, Poland.