ARABS SPLIT ON OBAMA SPEECH

One thing is to shake hands with dictators; another is to please the Angry Arab Street. <!--break--> <img class="dada-image-center" src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/migrate_dada/the_last_pharaoh.jpg"><br>ARABS SPLIT ON OBAMA SPEECH Aladdin Elaasar Obama’ speech caused mixed feelings among Arabs and Muslims. It was well-received, but came short of expected strong messages. Critics objected to his choice of place, Egypt. Optimists hope the speech will turn a new page. But not all Arabs and Muslims were happy. They appreciated the visit and good gestures. Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs. There are millions of Christian Arabs. Arabs are a small number of the Muslim population. Arabs and Muslims expected Obama to talk about freedom, democracy, human rights, and failing economies. But Obama tried hard to give something to everybody. He said something to the Arabs about Palestinians. Arabs used to hearing about the Palestinian cause to the extent that they became numb and cynical. Arab leaders exploited the Palestinian issue since 1948 to mobilize the masses behind a very emotional cause. For dictators, it is OK to let their people go out and burn American and Israeli flags, but it is not OK to demonstrate for freedom! The Palestinian cause served Arab dictators to maintain emergency laws and military rule, while claiming to liberate the Palestinians. It justified arms race to entrench authoritarian regimes. It is convenient to let Arabs vent anger on an outside enemy, rather than talking about nagging domestic issues. Critics of the visit see that American interest was not served well when a popular president shook hands with an old dictator such as Mubarak criticised for stifling democracy in Egypt since 1981. The visit benefited ailing Mubarak eager to get son Gamal as next president. One thing is to shake hands with dictators; another is to please the Angry Arab Street. Arabs are waiting for a savior from their oppressors. The Mehdi or Messiah could be Barack Hussein Obama. Aladdin Elaasar is author of “The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Volatile Mid East” and Silent Victims: The Plight of Arabs and Muslims in Post 9/11 America. Elaasar has been a commentator on Middle Eastern affairs on American TV and Radio, and a media and cultural consultant. Email: omaraladin@aol.com

<p>One thing is to shake hands with dictators; another is to please the Angry Arab Street.</p> <!--break--><p><img class="dada-image-center" src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/migrate_dada/the_last_pharaoh.jpg" /><br />ARABS SPLIT ON OBAMA SPEECH<br /> Aladdin Elaasar<br /> Obama’ speech caused mixed feelings among Arabs and Muslims. It was well-received, but came short of expected strong messages. Critics objected to his choice of place, Egypt.<br /> Optimists hope the speech will turn a new page. But not all Arabs and Muslims were happy. They appreciated the visit and good gestures. Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs. There are millions of Christian Arabs. Arabs are a small number of the Muslim population.<br /> Arabs and Muslims expected Obama to talk about freedom, democracy, human rights, and failing economies. But Obama tried hard to give something to everybody. He said something to the Arabs about Palestinians.<br /> Arabs used to hearing about the Palestinian cause to the extent that they became numb and cynical. Arab leaders exploited the Palestinian issue since 1948 to mobilize the masses behind a very emotional cause. For dictators, it is OK to let their people go out and burn American and Israeli flags, but it is not OK to demonstrate for freedom!<br /> The Palestinian cause served Arab dictators to maintain emergency laws and military rule, while claiming to liberate the Palestinians. It justified arms race to entrench authoritarian regimes. It is convenient to let Arabs vent anger on an outside enemy, rather than talking about nagging domestic issues.<br /> Critics of the visit see that American interest was not served well when a popular president shook hands with an old dictator such as Mubarak criticised for stifling democracy in Egypt since 1981. The visit benefited ailing Mubarak eager to get son Gamal as next president.<br /> One thing is to shake hands with dictators; another is to please the Angry Arab Street. Arabs are waiting for a savior from their oppressors. The Mehdi or Messiah could be Barack Hussein Obama.<br /> Aladdin Elaasar is author of “The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Volatile Mid East” and Silent Victims: The Plight of Arabs and Muslims in Post 9/11 America. Elaasar has been a commentator on Middle Eastern affairs on American TV and Radio, and a media and cultural consultant. Email: <a href="mailto:omaraladin@aol.com">omaraladin@aol.com</a></p>