How Obama's speech to the "Muslim world" helps Tehran

Slate by Lee Smith | Jun. 4, 2009 (Opinion)

By addressing the "Muslim world" from Cairo, the president is helping Tehran.

If President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo on Thursday is designed to hit "reset" on Washington's relations with the Muslim world, the White House may soon find that it is pushing the wrong buttons. Public diplomacy in the lands of Islam is a deeply complicated affair, and Muslims do it much better than U.S. presidents. Full Story »

Posted by Kaizar Campwala

More Info

Related Comments: Obama Administration (3)

3.4

by Derek Hawkins - Jun. 4, 2009

See Full Review » (10 answers)

3.1

by Fabrice Florin - Jun. 4, 2009

See Full Review » (5 answers)

3.4

by Kaizar Campwala - Jun. 4, 2009

Clearly written before the speech was delivered, this analysis misses that Obama never used the phrase 'Muslim world', choosing instead the more accurate 'Muslim communities'. I also think it's ironic that the author criticizes Obama for lacking nuance, when his simple Iran argument itself lacks any aknowledgement of complexity in that country's relationship with the world, and with other Muslim 'communities'.

What Muslim World? - 4 Reviews » ... More »

Obama’s Speech in Cairo - See Review » ... More »

Kaizar posted this story.

See Full Review » (5 answers)

3.3

Average

from 3 reviews (30% confidence)

Quality

3.3

Information

3.0

Insight

3.0

Style

3.0

Context

3.5

Expertise

4.0

Originality

4.0

Relevance

4.0

Responsibility

3.0

Popularity

3.2

Recommendation

2.7

Credibility

4.0

# Reviews

1.5

# Views

5.0

# Likes

1.0

# Emails

1.0

How our ratings work »

What Muslim World?

Foreign Policy by Scott Carpenter, Soner Cagaptay | Jun. 3, 2009 (Opinion)

Even before U.S. President Barack Obama utters a word of his long-anticipated June 4 address to "the Muslim world," there is already a problem with the rhetoric. As well ...

Posted by Derek Hawkins

3.8

See Reviews »

Obama’s Speech in Cairo

New York Times by Barack Obama | Jun. 4, 2009 (Speech)

The following is a text of President Obama's prepared remarks to the Muslim world, delivered on June 4, 2009, as released by the White House.

Posted by Derek Hawkins

3.4

See Reviews »

Muslims Will Judge Obama by Actions More Than Words

New York Times by Helene Cooper | Jun. 5, 2009 (Comment)

But one thing is already clear. While Mr. Obama’s strong words may resonate today, on the Arab street and in the madrassas and the tea shops and dining tables where the ...

Posted by Kaizar Campwala

3.5

See Reviews »

Obama Speech Will Seek to Alter Muslims’ View of U.S.

New York Times by Jeff Zeleny, Helene Cooper | Jun. 4, 2009 (News Report)

President Obama arrived in Egypt on Thursday aiming to repair America’s relationship with the Muslim world through a speech at Cairo University, a carefully planned address ...

Posted by Derek Hawkins

3.7

See Reviews »

How Iran Could Save the Middle East

Atlantic Monthly by Jeffrey Goldberg | Jun. 4, 2009 (Opinion)

The definitive Middle East cliché is “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” With Shiite Iran growing stronger, Jews and Sunni Arabs suddenly have a potent basis for ...

Posted by Derek Hawkins

3.4

See Reviews »

Let's be friends

Economist | Jun. 4, 2009 (News Analysis)

Broadly speaking, and despite the latest internet tirades of Osama bin Laden, most Muslims recognise the sincerity of Mr Obama’s effort to extricate America from Iraq—and ...

Posted by Kaizar Campwala

3.4

See Reviews »

Obama's speech in Cairo: Are Muslims convinced?

Los Angeles Times by Jeffrey Fleishman | Jun. 4, 2009 (News Analysis)

Cairo -- He came. He spoke. But did he convince? President Obama's long-anticipated speech to the Arab world today sought to dissolve the mistrust between Islam and the ...

Posted by Fabrice Florin

3.7

See Reviews »

Add a related link