Obama’s Pitch to Arab World vs. That of SecState Pompeo

This is an article I wrote for the on-line periodical American Diplomacy in June 2009. I was wrong in being too cautious (too nice) on the ultimately  disastrous effect  the Obama policies and attitudes would have on the Middle East. Most of the immediate coverage of the speech was written by his groupies in the main stream media, indicating the mediocre quality of much of the American press coverage of the Middle East. Its ideological orientation continually skewers the news and analysis of the events and trends in the Middle East . The enthusiasm with which much of American Middle East scholarly community  greeted the speech also underscores their pedestrian output.
I was also  wrong in writing that  Obama’s popularity in the Arab world would remain high. I was right that  under the Obama administration America’s popularity would sink, but so did Obama’s. In the end words were not enough and his perceived and real weakness, particularly in confronting the tragedy in Syria, was rightly seen as a betrayal of his words. I posted  this  old article in comparison to the pitch by SecState Mike Pompeo in Cairo recently. To be sure it was widely lambasted by the same types that went gaga over Obama’s speech. One thing for sure …..he did not raise expectations, nor did he take, in the name of the American people, blame for the mess in the Arab world. His speech was noteworthy primarily in that he basically called the promises of Obama  empty and refused to implicate the United States and its people for the sins of the Arab leadership or street mobs that alternate in holding the reigns of power
Public Diplomacy or Policy? President Obama’s Pitch to the Muslim World

About Tex

Retired artillery colonel, many years in a number of positions in the Arab world. Graduate of the US Military Academy and the American University of Beirut. MA in Arab studies from the American University in Beirut along with 18 years as Middle East Seminar Director at the JFK Special Warfare Center and School, Served in Vietnam with 1st Inf Division, Assignments in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, plus service with Trucial Oman Scouts in the Persian Gulf. Traveled to every Arab country on the map including Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
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