President Obama today delivers what’s been billed as a key speech on Middle East policy — a clear followup to his famous, but misguided, 2009 talk in Cairo, reaching out to the Muslim world.
Much has happened in the region since then; have Obama & Co. learned from it?
More important, will he finally offer a coherent approach to the Middle East — one that reflects the rapid changes sweeping the region?
In his attempt to win over Muslim hearts and minds two years ago, Obama vowed to fight “negative stereotypes of Islam” and focused shamefully on alleged US affronts to the Islamic world.
He equated violence by Muslims with supposed transgressions by America, Israel and the West. But time has proven these moral equivalences — indeed, his whole approach — off base:
To Iran, he offered an open hand, noting that its nuke program had “reached a decisive point.” The mullahs responded with a closed fist — and forged ahead blithely with their nukes.
He vowed to ban “torture” and close the prison at Guantanamo Bay “by early next year.” Today, Gitmo remains open — reflecting the realization that terrorism can’t be eradicated with speeches.
Seeking movement in the Arab-Israeli peace process, Obama equated Arab terror with Israeli settlements, which he demanded be halted. They were, but progress went backward: Fatah and blood-stained Hamas forged an alliance.
Today, Obama may link the Arab protests with the Palestinian-Israeli issue, demanding more givebacks from you-know-who. But the protests, seemingly for democracy, aren’t well understood.
The fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood may be ascendant in Egypt. Libyan rebels may have terrror ties. Last week, the Syrian despot, Bashar al-Assad, apparently sent thugs to assault Israel’s border — to distract from his own bloody crackdown.
Obama’s response to all this has been tentative and confused, changing daily in a desperate game of catch-up.
It’s time he set a course.
And preferably, this time, one that advances America’s interests.