Robert Fisk: Most Arabs know this speech will make little difference
I suspect that what the Arab world wants to hear is that Obama will take his
soldiers out of Muslim lands
Independent Tuesday, 2 June 2009
More and more, it looks like the same old melody that Bush's lads used to
sing. We're not against the Muslim world. In fact, we are positively for it.
We want you to have democracy, up to a point. We love Arab "moderates" and
we want to reach out to you and be your friends. Sorry about Iraq. And
sorry - again, up to a point - about Afghanistan and we do hope that you
understand why we've got to have a little "surge" in Helmand among all those
Muslim villages with their paper-thin walls. And yes, we've made mistakes.
Everyone in the world, or so it seems, is waiting to see if this is what
Barack Obama sings. I'm not sure, though, that the Arabs are waiting with
such enthusiasm as the rest of the world.
I haven't met an Arab in Egypt - or an Arab in Lebanon, for that matter -
who really thinks that Obama's "outreach" lecture in Cairo on Thursday is
going to make much difference.
They watched him dictate to Bibi Netanyahu - no more settlements, two-state
solution - and they saw Bibi contemptuously announce, on the day that
Mahmoud Abbas, the most colourless leader in the Arab world, went to the
White House, that Israel's colonial project in the West Bank would continue
unhindered. So that's that, then.
And please note that Obama has chosen Egypt for his latest address to the
Muslims, a country run by an ageing potentate - Hosni Mubarak is 80 - who
uses his secret police like a private army to imprison human rights workers,
opposition politicians, anyone in fact who challenges the great man's rule.
At this point, we won't mention torture. Be sure that this little point is
unlikely to get much play in the Obama sermon, just as he surely will not be
discussing Saudi Arabia's orgy of head-chopping when he chats to King
Abdullah on Wednesday.
So what's new, folks? Arabs, I find, have a very shrewd conception of what
goes on in Washington - the lobbying, the power politics, the dressing up of
false friendship in Rooseveltian language - even if ordinary Americans do
not. They are aware that the "new" America of Obama looks suspiciously like
the old one of Bush and his lads and ladies. First, Obama addresses Muslims
on Al-Arabiya television. Then he addresses Muslims in Istanbul. Now he
wants to address Muslims all over again in Cairo.
I suppose Obama could say: "I promise I will not make any decision until I
first consult with you and the Jewish side" along with more promises about
being a friend of the Arabs. Only that's exactly what Franklin Roosevelt
told King Abdul Aziz on the deck of USS Quincy in 1945, so the Arabs have
heard that one before. I guess we'll hear about terrorism being as much a
danger to Arabs as to Israel - another dull Bush theme - and, Obama being a
new President, we might also have a "we shall not let you down" theme.
But for what? I suspect that what the Arab world wants to hear - not their
leaders, of course, all of whom would like to have a spanking new US air
base on their property - is that Obama will take all his soldiers out of
Muslim lands and leave them alone (American aid, doctors, teachers, etc,
excepted). But for obvious reasons, Obama can't say that.
He can, and will, surely, try his global-Arab line; that every Arab nation
will be involved in the new Middle East peace, a resurrection of the
remarkably sane Saudi offer of full Arab recognition of Israel in return for
an Israeli return to the 1967 borders in accordance with the UN Security
Council Resolution 242. Obama will be clearing this with King Abdullah on
Wednesday, no doubt. And everyone will nod sagely and the newspapers of the
Arab dictatorships will solemnly tip their hats to the guy and the New York
Times will clap vigorously.
And the Israeli government will treat it all with the same amused contempt
as Netanyahu treated Obama's demand to stop building Jewish colonies on Arab
land and, back home in Washington, Congress will fulminate and maybe Obama
will realise, just like the Arab potentates have realised, that beautiful
rhetoric and paradise-promises never, ever, win against reality.
***
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/06/01-9
Jimmy Carter Charges Obama "Doesn't Want to Punish Those
Who are Guilty" of Crimes
by Jeremy Scahill
RebelReports: June 1, 2009
The Democratic Party power structure's least favorite ex-President is
speaking out of school again. Jimmy Carter has some strong words about
President Obama's decision to fight the release of thousands of photos that
reportedly show further US abuse and torture of prisoners and has weighed in
on the debate over prosecuting former Bush administration officials for
torture. In an interview to be broadcast tonight on CNN, Carter says this
about Obama's position on the release of new torture photos:
[M]ost of [Obama's] supporters were hoping that he would be much more open
in the revelation of what we've done in the past. But he's made a decision
with which I really can't contend that he doesn't want to resurrect the
past, he doesn't want to punish those who are guilty of perpetrating of what
I consider crimes against our own laws and against our own constitution. And
the revelation of those pictures might very well inflame further animosity
against our country causing some harm to our soldiers, so I don't agree with
him, but I certainly don't criticize him for making that decision.
Regarding calls for prosecution of former Bush administration officials,
Carter says:
I think prosecuting is too strong a word, what I would like to see is a
complete examination of what did happen, the identification of any
perpetrators of crimes against our own laws or against international law and
then after all that's done, decide whether or not there should be any
prosecutions. But the revelation of what did happen is what I think I would
support.
At the Democratic National Convention in Denver last year, Carter was
removed from a speaking position at the last minute in a move some
considered to be a political snub.
© 2009 RebelReports
***
From: Jeff Warner
--- Sunday afternoon., June 7; 2-4 PM,
Peace Vigil for a Palestinian State Alongside Israel
Third St. Promenade at Santa Monica Blvd.
Join Jews for Peace between Israelis and Palestinians (J- PIP) in a
vigil to support President Obama's goal of a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As American Jews, we recognize that 42 years of occupation and ruling
over 4 million Palestinians against their will, Has not given Israelis peace
and security, and never will.
Israel and its people's desire for peace and security can only be
achieved, when the Palestinians also have peace and security in their own
sovereign and viable state alongside Israel.
We call upon President Obama to do all in his power to ensure that
this peace vision will be implemented as soon as possible. First steps
include:
· Settlement expansion on the West bank and in East Jerusalem halted.
· Settlement outposts demolished.
· Checkpoints and roadblocks that do not contribute to Israel's
security removed.
· Gaza blockade lifted; and crossings open.
· Harassment of Gaza fishermen ended
· Rockets attack on Israeli civilians from Gaza stopped.
J PIP will supply pro-peace, nonviolent, non-defamatory signs
We welcome everyone who shares J-PIP's vision of a sovereign and viable
Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Support this important VIGIL.
Info: www.J-PIP.org
ACTION - Write to President Obama in support of his pressure on Israel for a
full settlement construction freeze with no exceptions.
Use the J-Street website
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2747/t/3251/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=593
and/or the Brit Tzedek website
http://ga3.org/campaign/weve_got_your_back_pledge?qp_source=gamessage20090521
ARTICLE 1 Link to Gideon Levy article in Ha'aretz saying that the moderate
Israeli are not acting, and the opportunity presented by Obama's activism
will be missed.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1087741.html
ARTICLE 2 Link to a Ha'aretz article reporting on the Israeli government
resistance to Obama's call to end settlement expansion.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1087368.html
ARTICLE 3 Link to Gershorn Baskin article in the Jerusalem Post explaining
why 2-states for 2-people is the only resolutuion of the I-P conflict, and
for their own good the Isareli people and government should help make it
happen.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243259515612&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull
ARTICLE 4 Link to Yacov Ben Efrat piece arguing that Obama is trapped by a
stratigec need to partner with Israel, and no real change will happen.
http://www.challenge-mag.com/en/article__246
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