Al-Arabiya's Game Changing Interview with Barack Obama: A New Punctuation Point in US Foreign Policy

Hisham Melhem, Washington Bureau Chief for Al Arabiya, was trying to chase down an interview with former U.S. Senator and new presidential envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell. Pounding all of his channels, friends, networks, Melhem was informed Sunday that "something" might be in the works -- but keep expectations modest.

By Monday morning (yesterday), Melhem was told that he'd likely get Mitchell, and then later in the morning, he received a call telling him that he'd "either be very happy, or made miserable" by what the White House was planning. And then Melhem was asked if he would like to interview President Barack Obama at 5 pm Monday -- but that the bureau would have to keep the interview secret until it happened.

The Al Arabiya Bureau Chief said that was not a problem and that he'd adjust his schedule -- with enormous grin accompanying his response.

Al Arabiya is part of a major Arabic news network, considered second in global coverage to Al Jazeera, which may yet see a nod from the Obama administration down the road -- but seeing that George W. Bush may have joked and/or been serious about bombing an Al Jazeera office in Baghdad, Al Jazeera may still be too much of a leap for the bounding forward new US President.

Obama's exchange with the Al Arabiya journalist (here is transcript), which was only supposed to last about six or seven minutes got extended a bit as press secretary Robert Gibbs saw how well it was going.

This interview is the initial punctuation point in Obama's global public diplomacy. By most accounts, Obama's decision -- shocking to some, refreshing to others -- to talk to the Muslim world in his first formal, sit down press interview hit the ball out of the park.

While Al Arabiya's Bureau Chief did query Obama on which Muslim capital he would first go to in the world (I think it will be Jakarta), Obama's interview -- which Al Arabiya quickly got up on YouTube and also broadcast all around the world through their own networks -- is consistent with Obama-style Facebook political networking and activism. He is using social networks and a hybrid of new media and old media to change the diplomatic game.

It doesn't matter which Muslim capital Obama goes to now because he just reached out to the hearts and minds of Muslims in every capital and frankly, Muslims everywhere -- including inside the United States.

Obama stood by America's alliance with Israel, but said also that Israel and others would have to make sacrifices to achieve stable peace.

He is telegraphing to the Muslim world that the lives of those who live in the Middle East and who are Muslim, wherever they are, matter -- and can't be discounted. Former Ambassador to the UN John Bolton used to decry any effort at talking about the moral equivalency of a death of an innocent in Palestine or in Lebanon when compared to the death or maiming of an Israeli innocent.

Obama talked about the needs and tragedies that have befallen Palestinians and Israelis. And he offered hope to Arab citizens and talked of health care and education -- a vision of the future, that could challenge more rigid groups that have been resisting engagement with the US and Europe and who have been strident in their opposition to Israel.

Barack Obama's first moves have been utterly brilliant. And in his interview, most of it focused on the importance of ending the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He acknowledged the interconnectedness of the problems in the region, but he noted how important the Middle East Peace process and crisis is.

And I think he was responding personally and sincerely to Prince Turki al-Faisal's warning in the Financial Times this week that the Arab Peace Proposal offered by King Abdullah would not remain on the table indefinitely, and that the window could be closing in the wake of the Gaza crisis. Obama was asking Prince Turki, who previously served as head of Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and as Saudi Ambassador to the US, and the King of Saudi Arabia to hang in there a bit more. Obama's messenging was subtle but clear.

Some will argue that this is not much. That this is optics -- not substantive change.

I totally disagree. Ron Suskind was on target when he reported several years ago that Bush administration officials believed that they could "make their own reality."

Presidents -- in the right period of their presidencies -- can make and shape their own reality. They do so at their peril because someone could eventually demonstrate a gap between the fiction the President is creating and the reality everyone else is grounded in.

But Obama gets to make his own reality at the moment -- and is imposing it -- in a respectful, humble, and powerful way.

His style matters -- just like Bush's swagger did -- and it is this act of humility towards the Muslim world which may animate hope in the nations around the world and in the Middle East specifically.

Everyone will have to adjust now. The Saudis will leave the peace deal on the table. The Israelis have to remake themselves -- even if Netanyahu succeeds Olmert. Hamas will have to find a way to become differently postured -- if not on Israel, then at least on some level of international acceptability with American partners. Arab stakeholders are going to have to snap out of positions shaped more by status quo thinking and inertia that things will never change and get with the Obama program.

What Obama did has provided a new punctuation point in American foreign policy, and it is not "continuous" foreign policy at all. This is a new game and a very impressive new leader.

Time will tell if Obama has inculcated his foreign policy and national security team with the same signals and messages that he brought to this important media encounter.

-- Steve Clemons is Director of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Comments

[joeyfoto]

How wonderful it is to have a president who can speak without embarrassing the entire country. How delightful it is to have a president who is not a fool. Neither of those qualities will guarantee success but their absence guaranteed failure. It is going to be difficult to defuse the rage and resentment of the Muslim world which is so unjust to its own people and so enmeshed in fascism and failure. Yet, if there is a chance to break the presumption of bad-faith on the part of the United States, this is a decent way to begin that process. When traveling on a long and dangerous road, it's better not to be stuck in a ditch. This is much better.. Let's hope there's a crossroads ahead.

[discussant]

I'm glad that the interview of President Obama with Al-Arabia was decidedly and strategically an impressive ice breaker. I’m glad that it happened sooner than later. One can see two strategic initiatives—domestic and foreign-- a stimulus package passing in a divided congress impressively even though Mr. Obama initiated a bipartisan outreach. The GOP’s failure to cooperate in this stimulus package will make them very marginalized and sorry. On the foreign policy front it was an individual calculation and initiative of the highest order-- to reach out to the Muslims early on—this is not appeasement, as Mr. Bush would argue—this is diplomacy of the highest order. This is truly charismatic. Two giant steps in two different directions— stimulus in the home front, and affability abroad. This president cannot fail. He doesn’t Rush to fail.
Countdown to a glorious 100 days has already begun.

[thegeniusfiles]

Wow, is it just me, or did Obama repeat himself word-for-word twice? I thought I was trippin'... Matrix Reloaded-style! Look, I love me some Obama, but there's the talk, and then there's the walk. Soon we'll see if the walk matches the talk. It will be real easy to see: if things get better for Gaza, then you'll know. If not, well I will be disappointed in my hero Obama. I really want a hero, not a zero.

[Garvagh]

Bravo! Prince Turki al-Faisal had words of wisdom for those seeking an end to the Israel/Palestine problem, rather than the perpetuation of it for decades to come, by the Israeli militarists, as a means of preventing the emergence of a viable indpendent Palestine.

The Financial Times has an excellent editorial today on the matter.

[cato1]

This is not a "game changing" interview and nor is Obama "impressive" to Arabs.

Bush was the first president to ever say “Palestine” and officially endorse a state. Cheney said that “a Palestinian state is long overdue” and Condi Rice stated that there isn’t a more noble legacy for America than bringing about a Palestinian state. These were the right words, but actions speak louder.

What about language? Obama spoke about the need to listen. But has never shown an interest in listening to Arabs. In his trip Obama's 45 minutes in Palestine where matched with 72 hours in Israel! Obama did not listen to Palestinians under occupation. He did not visit any of the over 600 checkpoints that litter the West Bank and see what the Palestinians must confront everyday. Nor did he visit any Arab-Israeli town and as an African-American speak to Arabs in Israel of a shared experience of discrimination. Thorough out his campaign the “hope” candidate never once visited a Arab or Muslim community center and rebuked the invitation to sit down with community leaders.

Obama stated that Israel’s security is “paramount”. That means Israeli “security” must always trump Palestinian rights, because the Israelis are “paramount” in the mind of Obama over the Palestinians. That is why Obama will not ask Israel to remove one checkpoint because Israel says they provide security for settlers.

Whatever Obama might say will be moot as the Palestinians suffer and America expresses unqualified support for Israel.

[ribe04]

Patients my friend... Obama has been president for 1 week and a day. Everyone who has assumed that they know how he thinks have been profoundly wrong. Politicians are very guarded with what they say and do in a general election, because it's a general election. He has inherited an enormous foreign policy debacle, and has to some how redirect the mental inertia set in motion by the devastating foreign policy decisions of the Bush administration. So we have to be patient and see if this administration will bring the peace and balance that they promised.

[Garvagh]

Mahmoud Abbas said that Obama told him, last summer, that Israel would be foolish not to accept the Saudi peace plan.

[JanP]

But Israel would be crazy to accept a plan that lets all the Palestinians into Israel that want to go there, to destroy the character of the Israeli state and make it into another Muslim states.

Why is that part of the Saudi plan always forgotten?

[Jim Ellis]

HuffPost's Pick

"...but seeing that George W. Bush may have joked and/or been serious about bombing an Al Jazeera office in Baghdad, Al Jazeera may still be too much of a leap for the bounding forward new US President."

Or perhaps Obama and his communications team are smart enough to see that Al-Jazeera is to the Muslim world what Fox News is to the United States: so much sensationalism and so little substance that it's nearly impossible for a non-ideologue to take seriously.

Excellent choice by President Obama.

[Cherie Clark]

Editor Pick is wrong. I have lived there, I speak Arabic, I am an American Nurse and Jazeera gives us excellent coverage. Dead wrong on this one.

[brummie]

Al Jazeera isn't any more biased than Fox News or a few other US TV news organisations. Who were GW Bush and Tony Blair to talk about bias and propaganda? Who were they to even THINK about bombing Al Jazeera? Especially when it's the US who wanted to censor pictures of flag draped coffins of US soldiers in order to hide the true cost of the war. Especially when the US and UK military have had so many embedded reporters.

Whatever you think of Al Jazeera, it's good to at least have BOTH sides of the sorry. To look at things through Arab eyes and not just Israeli or American eyes. Give me both biased sides of the story and everything else in between so I can weigh it all up and make up my mind.

Speaking of which - Israel has chosen to censor the full nature, reality and human cost of the current Israel/Gaza conflict. Al Jazeera are reporting from inside Gaza. They're providing 24-hour coverage of the Israeli offensive in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis it has triggered.

Profile: Al-Arabiya TV
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3236654.stm

A voice of moderation helps transform Arab media
http://iht.com/articles/2008/01/04/africa/profile.php

Al-Jazeera becomes the face of the frontline
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/35017196-e19c-11dd-afa0-0000779fd2ac.html

Al Jazeera Bombing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera_bombing_memo#References

[zius]

TO COMPARE THE PROGRESSIVE AL JAZEERA TO THE NEO-CONS FIX NEWS YOU ARE DOING NO ONE A FAVOR...

[joeyfoto]

zius wrote: "TO COMPARE THE PROGRESSIVE AL JAZEERA TO THE NEO-CONS FIX NEWS YOU ARE DOING NO ONE A FAVOR..."

Bias is bias; cant is can & lies are lies. When the truth is twisted and facts misrepresented rather than stated and evaluated, it's propaganda not "journalism." Listen to Fox news then read Financial Times and listen to BBC; you can't miss the twist. Listen to Al Jazeera then read MEMRI, you can't miss the cant. It's all bad. It is a favor to no on when lies are accepted as reportage. As someone wise once wrote: "We are all entitled to our own opinions; we are not entitled to our own facts." When the facts come so cut-up and re-packaged in a wrapping of cover-up, we end up with nothing to discuss and are left only with puerile and pointless debates over ideology. Pointing out the fact that liars tell lies disguised as news, does everyone a favor.

[William42343]

I am a strong supporter of President Obama. I worked tirelessly and contributed generously to his campaign from the primaries on. So it is with deep regret that I say that at least where the Middle East is concerned, Obama is doing little more than following standard Israeli policies when it comes to: (1) failing to recognize Hamas as the elected government of Gaza; (2) seeking to force the Palestinian Authority down the throats of the Palestinians after the PA's rejection at the polls and Abbas' own term of office has expired; (3) failing to denounce Israel's own war crimes, such as the use of white phosphorus and cluster bombs against civilian populations; and the like. As far as breaking "new ground" with Iran goes, Obama likewise follows the Israeli line, as: (4) in claiming that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons when US intelligence agencies deny that: and (5) tossing bouquets towards Iran's "Persian" past--when the blood-thirsty Shah of Iran sat on the peacock throne and gave away Iran's oil wealth to Western oil companies for a song--while crushing all internal dissent. Obama knows all this but is keeping mum.

[EasyCheese]

Maybe he knows better than you...perhaps by following all the other presidents proves that they know more than you...

[Cherie Clark]

Ditto william

[aemathisphd]

A lot of nice ideas, but none of them will work if Bibi wins. He'll drag his heels as he did before, and people on both sides of the Green Line will die. Bibi lost his brother. I suppose he thinks everyone should, too.

[marlb0r0]

A major key, I think, lies with the 'people' who live in Gaza and the West Bank and wake-up every day with little or no hope or future - It is this environment of hopelessness that allows extreme organizations to emerge and operate with impunity - firing rockets from schools and booby-trapping homes.

In a society where people get up each day to open their business, farm, lecture or research, what-ever the occupation, there can be less tolerance of extreme behavior. In much the same way as America has mobilized it's population to make change, so too can a similar result be fashioned in the middle east. Where is the [potentially massive] social support from Egypt and Jordan [even Israel and America]? A 'New Deal' for Gaza and the West Bank that wasn't bankrolled by terrorism would go a long way...

The sooner EVERYONE [and I do mean Jordan, Egypt, America, Israel and the other players in the region] realizes this, the better -

[JanP]

What is it that the people of Gaza and the West bank hope for that they can't get?

If you look at the charter of Hamas, it is the destruction of Israel. In this, they should remain hopeless.

The palestinians were free to run Gaza as they saw fit. As soon as the Jews left Gaza, the rocket attacks began. Then Israel shut down fuel and electric supplies and attacted terrorist involved in rocket launchings. Of course, most people call that "collective punishment" as though the people of Gaza have no control over whom they elect.

[priscianusjr]

Great comment. And I would like to add, when Mr. Clemons says Bush "built his own reality," yes, but it was a pseudo-reality upheld by force and deception and it was brought down by the indomitable power of real reality, i.e. truth. Obama is not doing that. He's engaging with real reality and helping to move it in a better direction. If you know anything about community organizing, you can see Pres. Obama's organizing background. First cardinal rule of community organizing: Talk to ALL parties concerned in the situation and really listen to what they are saying.
To all those commenters indignantly asking how this sort of thing solves the problems of the Middle East, I can only say, get real, even in the best scenario it's not exactly going to happen overnight. The point is, this was our opening move, and it was a very good one.

[Petunia39]

Fully agree.

[Michale32086]

@midwife42

}}}}
Had they followed your advice in the UK, there would have been no Northern Ireland peace agreement.
{{{{{

Actually, they DID follow my advice in the UK..

Or, more accurately, my advice is based on exactly what the SAS and MI6 did to the IRA. Thru a brutal campaign of assassinations and infiltrations, the Brits brought the IRA to the precipice of extinction and gave them a choice..

Negotiate or perish...

The IRA chose wisely...

}}}}
And to address another of your points, there are plenty of alternative definitions of terrorism, and no consensus on what it actually is. I'm sure you have a handy definition that will conveniently exclude the US and Israel. However, it is fairly obvious that the most "terror-fied" of the parties in the Arab-Israeli conflict is the Palestinians.
{{{{

Actually, my definition is borne of nearly a quarter century in the field..

And while you are correct that there are many definitions out there, they are all subjective and depend on the prejudices and bigotry of the person applying the term. Hence, they are factually innaccurate and utterly meaningless..

My definition is set, definitive and, above all else, objective. It doesn't allow itself to be "spun" or twisted subjectively just so it can be applied to whoever pisses off the applier at any given moment...

Michale......

[worldwithoutus]

bush will be missed in a few years...a couple of citys gone later

[ErnestineBass]

Is the GOP still paying doofuses like you to post?

If so, they're not getting their money's worth.

[mtnman]

No sane American will ever miss the George W(orst) Bush Administration or it's bumbling leader who has a hard time putting together a logical sentence if it isn't propped up on a teleprompter. The Former Torturer in Chief is destined to go down in history as the worst possible person to lead a nation in a transitional period as the early 21st century has been. A real leader could have unified the world after the 9-11 attack and would never have used thinly veiled neo-con ideology and a personal vendetta to attack and invade another nation. Bush's misguided mistake in invading Iraq is the true root of our economic mess right now, and we will all be paying for it for a long time to come.

[SPQR1775]

President OBAMA was right to open with a new world view, it is time for all involved to get serious, the Israel's (not isralites, they are european jews, not arab isralites) need to realize that we have tried the same thing for over 40 years and meet with the same results. Israel need to understand the Palestinians was there first, they are the First settlers of that land mass, now they both have to live together. Israel might have the weaponry, yet palestinians have the majority and that trend will only grew in the future. Peace, NOT Apartheid(sp). Pres O will certainly have his work cut out, but I am positive he is the right man for the job. YES, WE CAN!

[wileysnakeskins]

I'm really surprised, or maybe not so, with the amount of false history and reporting on the palestinian subject in the united states, perpitrated by the islamic opologist society known as the Muslim Brotherhood. If anyone placing statements and alleged true events on this site wants to know the in depth story of the alleged palestinians and their supposed arab state, you MUST find the following historical publication under the Title: "1948, Israel and the Palestinians, The True Story," published in the May 8th, 2008 issue of Commentary Magazine at the following address:

Mr. Karsh is head of Mediterranean Studies at King's College, University of London, and the author most recently of "Islamic Imperialism: A History" (Yale). This article appears in the May issue of
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/

[cato1]

Talk about being an apologists. This dude hear is a Zionist fanatic who thinks that Israel did not engage in enough ethnic cleansing in 1948 and is trying to a pulls Golda Mier by pretending that Palestinians do not exist.

[JanP]

Israelis from Europe or anywhere else are as much Israelis as Muslims who become american citizens are Americans or Muslims who become French citizens are French.

To imply that a convert to Judism is not a real Jew (we hear that so often) is redicules. Evry Muslim is a descendant of converts (willingly or by the sword). Every Christian is a convert or descendant of converts.

Actually, Jews were there first. The Roman dispersed many. But there has always been a Jewish presence in the land that became known as Palestine. For most of the time, they were the majority in Jerusalem.

When you talk about "Peace, Not Apartheid", I suggest that you look at how non-Muslims fare in Muslim countries.

[idest]

Pagans were there before the Jews so I guess we should give the land to them, by your utterly absurd logic.

[Michale32086]

@sssteverrr

}}}}
His conversation with the Muslim world today cost no American dollars, sacrificed no American lives, compromised no American ideals and antagonized no American alies yet may have done more to make americans safe and foster democracy and peace in the middle east in one hour than the whole eight years of the Bush tradgedy.
{{{{{

That was very eloquent... Kudos.

But my question is this.

Will it have any effect on the likes of HAMAS and Hezbollah et al??

I seriously doubt it.

Michale.....

[Petunia39]

I'm wondering if Obama will recognize Hezbollah and Hamas as important poltiical players that need to be included in the conversation. I know where you stand on this (as we've established that you and I usually disagree), I think it would be the smart thing to do. Both groups seem to have a domestic base, at least in the case of Hezbollah, this has been the case for decades, and I doubt they are going to go away. So, it would be smart to talk to them.

[Michale32086]

Probably not..

Obama's opinion of and attitude towards HAMAS is crystal clear..

Plus there is the Foreign Policy Agenda that is posted to whitehouse.gov...

No, I think that those Anti-Israel types better get used to the fact that there will be no substantial change in the US policy towards Israel..

Michale....

[brodon]

Take a look at today's new to see what Iran is demanding of America.

Tell us again how we deal with a nation that wants to totally destroy Israel?

[Petunia39]

I don't know how Iran will destroy Israel, as seen by the last war, Israel is pretty safe, but I think it does things that are very self-destructive.
I think Obama needs to seriously, and honestly tackle the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Resolving this once and for all will eliminate a significant source of support for Iran in the region.
That said, the best thing to do with Iran is to engage it. It is an important player in the region. And I do think that both countries have a lot to apologize to each other for.

[JanP]

NUKES

Nukes that the world is unwilling to stop Iran from getting.

Nukes that threaten not only Israel but most of the Arab world.