Obama's speech at the univ of Cairo

[Don Corleone]

I think he glossed over some finer points with respect to Hamas, but all in all, it was a good speech and a good step forward.

[JAG]

Quite a superb speech, exactly what was needed. Common sense and real understanding.

[Reverend Joe]

/waits for the nonconformists to blast Obama...

[seireikhaan]

I thought the speech was very nice, for the most part.

[Kurando]

Wonderful speech, I felt some genuine emotion watching and listening + both sides of the fence are very fortunate to have such a person as Obama come forward at this point in history.

But as they once said in the Simpsons: "...will Homer's fence-mending eggs bear fruit? Or will his olive branch be torn apart by woodpeckers of mistrust?"

[Louis VI the Fat]

Naturally, I couldn't disagree more with Obama's speech.

I suspect Obama of being a non-believer. He doesn't dare say so to his American electorate. He doesn't dare say so to the world at large. Alas, in his speech, he didn't find the courage to call a spade a spade.

Obama should have castigated the Islamic world for caving in to the demands of this violent religion. Several decades ago, the Islamic world was governed mostly by secular states. These governments discredited themselves with corruption, abuse and incompetence. Islamofascism could fester, and raise its ugly head.
Like fascism proper, it is not backward, mediaeval. It is a modern alternative to modern challenges. But the wrong one.

The Islamic world should go the way of China, of Singapore. The way of Malaysia or Turkey - predominantly Islamic countries. Not the way of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan.
Development, not a retreat into backwardness and unfreedom.


In America, a Muslim is a free man. He can provide for his family. In safety and in dignity.
Whereas, where the Islam rules, the life of a Muslim is held anything but sacred. He is tortured. His children are kept away from education. His wife is property.


Obama held his speech in Cairo university. An ancient institution of higher learning. Older than Bologna, Paris and Oxford. Three decades ago, unveiled Egyptian women studied law and medicine here. Today, with virtually no exception, female students, under great threat, wear the hijabh.

[Ironside]

Naturally, I couldn't disagree more with Obama's speech.

I suspect Obama of being a non-believer. He doesn't dare say so to his American electorate. He doesn't dare say so to the world at large. Alas, in his speech, he didn't find the courage to call a spade a spade.

He's the president of America, where the flaunting of your religious devotion is important standard stuff by some obscure reason. (I don't know the religious devotion of our prime minister and most or our ministers, nor do I care).

Obama should have castigated the Islamic world for caving in to the demands of this violent religion. Several decades ago, the Islamic world was governed mostly by secular states. These governments discredited themselves with corruption, abuse and incompetence. Islamofascism could fester, and raise its ugly head.
Like fascism proper, it is not backward, mediaeval. It is a modern alternative to modern challenges. But the wrong one.

While I agree on the analysis, do you really think that open castigation would make the Islamic world less Islamofascistic? People usually react better to a friendly advice than an insult, however true that might be.

[Lemur]

Alas, in his speech, he didn't find the courage to call a spade a spade.

Is this the second, third or fourth time you've managed to use that metaphor in relation to our President? Bit of a pattern forming ...

Obama should have castigated the Islamic world for caving in to the demands of this violent religion.

Yeah, a good lecture and some talking-down would really move the moderate Muslims into our corner. If anything, Islamists are noted for their lack of pride.

The rest of your post bears no relationship to the speech given, so I'll just wander on.

[Xiahou]

In America, a Muslim is a free man. He can provide for his family. In safety and in dignity.
Whereas, where the Islam rules, the life of a Muslim is held anything but sacred. He is tortured. His children are kept away from education. His wife is property.


Obama held his speech in Cairo university. An ancient institution of higher learning. Older than Bologna, Paris and Oxford. Three decades ago, unveiled Egyptian women studied law and medicine here. Today, with virtually no exception, female students, under great threat, wear the hijabh.

That should have been in his speech. Like most of Obama's speeches, this one was fairly nauseating- it was designed to make him look good, not his country.

Here's a video of some biting criticism from Krauthammer. I think he offers a good critique.

[Kralizec]

I thought that the speech itself was good, but that it signified very little. For example, "To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, and to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist." - Bush or Rice could have said exactly the same thing.

We already knew Obama was a good orator. So far I haven't seen him do anything that would indicate he's a good president.

The Islamic world should go the way of China, of Singapore. The way of Malaysia or Turkey - predominantly Islamic countries. Not the way of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan.
Development, not a retreat into backwardness and unfreedom.

Malaysia is hardly a shining example of what an islamic country should look like:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/malaysia/report-2008

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Restrictions on the right to religious freedom remained. People wishing to convert out of Islam continued to face barriers to having their conversion recognized by the civil courts.

* In January, Revathi, a Muslim by birth, was detained at the Malacca Syariah High Court while applying to have her religious status recognized as Hindu. She was taken to a religious rehabilitation camp in Selangor and held there for six months. In March, the Islamic authorities removed Revathi’s daughter from her husband, and placed her in the custody of Revathi’s Muslim mother.
* A 100-year-old Hindu temple was destroyed in Shah Alam in November, on the eve of the Hindu festival Deepavali. Several people were injured and 14 were arrested as devotees tried to stop the demolition. Other reportedly unauthorized Hindu temples were demolished to make way for development projects in 2007 despite petitions by local Hindu communities.