"Ahlan Wa Sahlan" (Welcome) Obama. But...

In the Jordanian capital of Amman, demonstrators took to the streets on Tuesday to celebrate Bush's departure from the White House by tossing shoes at a banner with his picture on it. They did not, however, celebrate Obama's inauguration as president of the United States of America. In Beirut, a Lebanese-American gleefully screamed at television cameras, "good riddance Mr. Bush, "ahlan wa sahlan" (welcome) Barack Hussein (with emphasis on Hussein) Obama." In a West Beirut restaurant, US ex-pats hosted a party to watch the inauguration on television, but the celebrations were subdued with scenes of destruction and devastation left by the Israeli war on Gaza flashing on a flat screen behind the bar.

With Saudi-sponsored Al Arabiya channel and Al Jazeera English as exceptions, most Arab satellite stations ignored Barack Obama's inauguration. State-controlled television stations preferred to lead their news reports on demonstrations of support for the Palestinian cause. The top news was related to Gaza and the Arab Summit in Kuwait. Obama's inauguration ceremony came third.

When interviewed about Obama, most Arabs expressed a desire to see a real change of foreign policy towards the Middle East, not just a regime change. There is skepticism that Barack Obama will be able to bring about that shift. Many expressed disappointment over Obama's failure to take a tough stance against Israel over its war on Gaza, even though he was not president at the time.

"As long as the US takes the same pro-Israeli position, there will be no change," a student at the American University in Beirut asserted.

In Egypt though, members of the opposition, Muslim Brotherhood, saw hope in Obama's inauguration speech. They referenced his message to the Muslim world:

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

Essam el-Erian, the head of the Muslim Brotherhood's political committee, was thrilled when he heard Obama saying that "the relationship with the Muslim world should be based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

However, a colleague of mine working for one of Egypt's largest dailies spoke to me on the condition of anonymity and said, "What Muslims and Arabs should pay close attention to is the second paragraph of Obama's address to the Muslim world...his reference to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent."

"When we have real democracy in the Middle East," he added, " we won't need Obama to save the day for us."

Jamal Dajani produces the Mosaic Intelligence Report on Link TV

Comments

[the-realDrKnow]

Well, early indications show that Obama is facing resistances from many fronts to his promised changes. And those naively inexperienced Americans who voted for him are and will be disappointed. First of all, Obama is a slick talking politician/actor who promised everything and to everyone just to get elected. Now that he is elected, we are seeing that some of his theories and what he is practicing are hypocritically short coming. Secondly, this is not a perfect or political corrected world and human nature is not all good. In matter of fact, human and nations are more in competition with each other like “dog-eat-dog.” There are some in the USA, especially right-wingers such as Rush Limbaugh(American rightwing master propagandist) who wished Obama would fail in his endeavor for change. Thirdly and most significantly, the United States has a wickedly corrupted system, manipulated by the machiavellian few individuals of wealth and power who are represented by their hired agents supported thur thought controllin­g(politica­l corrected) institutions that governs over, for the most, an ignorant, divided, go-along-t­o-get-alon­g populace of cheap-talking liars and stupidly weak fools where “war is peace, ignorance is strength, freedom is slavery*”. I’m afraid Obama, no matter how sincere, moral and valiant he may be, will not able to overcome those listed predicaments. So, no he can’t.

Faithlessly and hopelessly yours,

Dr. Know
public intellectual
left/postm­odern/anar­chist



*George Orwell

[Keima]

The second paragraph was not for the Middle East. It's for the likes of Mugabe.

[tjboyo]

Short of calling for the destruction of Israel, I don't think there's anything that anyone in the world can say that will get approval from the Arab world.

I think President Obama's words were clear, fair, and well crafted. I think he says what he means; lets hope he means what he says.

[joz22]

The Arab world has an offer to Israel, "Saudi Initiative" whereas Israel withdraws from occupied Arab lands for the full recognition of 22 Arab countries. There is nothing in it about the "destruction of Israel." During the last events in Gaza 1,300+ Palestinians were killed by Israeli bombardment vs. 13 Israelis dead. Israel has more than 150 nukes in the Middle East. I would not worry about the "destruction" of Israel

[Petunia39]

Sadly, O's statement before the State Dept on this issue reflected very little if any difference from Condoleeza Rice. I'm glad that he is sending Mitchell, and I hope that the policy on the ground and the talks in the background will be more substantial and qualitatively different than what Obama, who now joins most of his predecessors, except Carter, was able or willing to say.

[YR]

This is just one of the many heartbreaking stories. As for the much touted excuse that Hamas was responsible for the Israel's slaughtering of innocents, this testimony shows that the IDF killed these people in cold blood and used other Palestinians as human shields. Videostream available at the web site.

Palestinian US College Grad Loses 2 Brothers in Israeli Shooting; Father Watched Son Bleed to Death After Israeli Troops Bar Ambulances

Amer Shurrab is a Palestinian from Khan Yunis and a recent graduate of Vermont’s Middlebury College. On Friday, his father and two brothers were fleeing their village when their vehicle came under Israeli fire. Twenty-eig­ht-year-ol­d Kassab died in a hail of bullets trying to flee the vehicle. Eighteen-year-old Ibrahim survived the initial attack, but Israeli troops refused to allow an ambulance to reach them until twenty hours later. By then, it was too late. Ibrahim had bled to death in front of his father. Amer joins us to tell his story.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/1/21/palestinian_us_college_grad_loses_2

[111]

During his campaign and after the election, Obama did not give any indications that he felt a change in the US policies towards the countries in the middle east warranted any changes. In response to the most recent attack on Gaza Obama repeated his response that if his family were endangered by rocket attacks and that there was only one president at a time.

Why should anyone in those countries celebrate someone who has only promised more of the same? If Obama makes changes, great, but I don't think we should read too much into his inaugural speech.

[alexa07]

Obama's silence about Gaza has been very disappointing. Really, if the dead & maimed kids were Israelis, would he be waiting?

[nefertiti]

I was disappointed by Obama for his silence and ignoring Gaza bloodshed . He did talk about the terrorist acts in Mumbay and condemned them > IM sure if Palestinians were blowing off Jewish kids with Apaches and white phosphorous , he would nto have waited to condemn such acts . but we are hopeful that he changes the Biased US foreign Policy and its blind support for Israel

[alexa07]

I am hopeful also that as public opinion in the USA changes in regard to Israel, our leaders will respond. The media already is under attack for its (I would use the word ridiculous, but it does not seem appropriate given the many heart-wrenching tragedies of so many Palestinian families) -- unabashedly biased coverage of Gaza. The American media gave the Israeli point of view such dominating coverage that it just beggars any standing or prestige our journalists could hope to achieve in the eyes of the world. By its overkill in favor of providing so forums for the Israeli excuses ad nauseum, it nearly has defeated its purpose & given a real boost to alternatives like Amy G. & Juan G. on "Democracy Now" or Laura Flanders on Grit TV. For my family, we have discontinued a lifelong subscription to our local newspaper after a local reporter provided its readers with two criminally mistaken & skewed articles on pro-Palestinian demonstrations that took place in our community. I see the decline of our print media a direct result of the lack of courage & professionalism on the part of this generation of reporters.

[newsjunkie5]

Give the man a break! It's only been 1 day...and actually in his first day of office he has already done a lot. Remember Bush left a big mess in Obama's lap and it is not all going to be cleaned up overnight.

Patience...and faith...he will make good on his promises...

YES, he can...and WILL!

[WilliamL]

Some folks just do not know a good thing when it stares them in the face.

[joz22]

Obama might have a lot of good intentions, but will congress give him the room to act? Will he be able to fend off interest groups when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict?

[justice2008]

Hello everyone..­.Americans­, Arabs, Jews, Hindus, Africans, Whites, Blacks, Asians etc... Please give the man a break! It's only been 1 Day. God created the universe in 6 days...

[leonardox1]

Why should the Arab world trust Obama any more than Bush? They are very aware of who calls the shots in the US.

[jad114]

Well, Obama seems to be on the right track. He is delivering on his promise with Guantanamo also he called Palestinian leader Abbas to re-assure him that the israeli-Palestinian problem tops his agenda.

[piul05]

Abbas is a Western puppet; there's nothing encouraging about contacting him - quite the opposite, the message is "business as usual".

[Petunia39]

He needs to talk to Hamas. Regardless of what one may feel for a radical fundamentalist movement, they were elected, and as the represented the extremist fringe, reaching an agreement in which they were also included means that everyone is on board. It is a mistake to attempt to divide the Palestinian people as was done since the 2006 election, and has consequently diminished the credibility of Abbas among his own people.

[nefertiti]

You make a good point there .

[cohen238765]

I amcurious to know if any of the Muslim leaders had any response to Obama concerning the second paragraph about "clinging to power" or are they in denial?

[Petunia39]

I saw the last conflict in Gaza as utterly destructive, not just for the people of Gaza, but for the Israeli's themselves, and for the upcoming Obama administration. I am sure that as Obama told many leaders who criticize the West continuously, "Your people will judge you for what you build." (or something to that extent), resonated. The thing is that we are often critical of those governments which are oppressive to their own people and critical towards us, but not particularly critical of those other governments with which we have good relations, but which are equally as oppressive to their people. Many people in the Muslim world see our persistant, non-critical support of Israel, no matter what, as a sign that we do not live by the ideals that we profess, that our policy is filled with double-standards and this resonates and diminishes our credibility.