George Packer wites: Postscript on the Cairo Speech



"Obama’s first job was to begin to clear the poisonous air that’s filled the space between America and the Muslim world since 9/11. Soaring public perorations to freedom and democracy without a clear, concrete reckoning with the state of things today would have produced a backlash and achieved nothing. Obama needed to earn the authority to tell hard truths, and that could only be done by first acknowledging the various grievances and perceived wrongs that have accumulated over the years, on all sides (in this way, the Cairo speech was the foreign equivalent to the speech on race that he gave in Philadelphia during the campaign, with many of the same rhetorical moves)." Journalist George Packer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo.

George Packer wites: Postscript on the Cairo Speech

Postscript on the Cairo Speech

from Interesting Times by George Packer

The other evening, three Iranians came over for dinner—women activists, journalists, the sort of people who would be quick to pick up on and criticize any lessening of American commitment to human rights in their country and across the Muslim world. I wondered what they thought of that part of Obama’s Cairo speech—should it have been stronger, more forceful, as some critics (including the Egyptian politician and democracy advocate Ayman Nour) have said? No, on the contrary, the Iranians told me. This is not the moment to lecture and scold, or else the speech wouldn’t be heard. Obama’s first job was to begin to clear the poisonous air that’s filled the space between America and the Muslim world since 9/11. Soaring public perorations to freedom and democracy without a clear, concrete reckoning with the state of things today would have produced a backlash and achieved nothing. Obama needed to earn the authority to tell hard truths, and that could only be done by first acknowledging the various grievances and perceived wrongs that have accumulated over the years, on all sides (in this way, the Cairo speech was the foreign equivalent to the speech on race that he gave in Philadelphia during the campaign, with many of the same rhetorical moves).

The Iranians added that, later, in private, they want Obama to press governments like their own (if negotations with Iran ever start) on human rights. At that point, we’ll know more about the degree of realpolitik in Obama’s foreign-policy views. For now, though, he’s doing the essential work of making it possible for America to be heard by Muslims. And that’s a strategic necessity all by itself.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: June, 2009; RPCV George Packer (Togo); Peace Corps Iran; Directory of Iran RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Iran RPCVs; Peace Corps Togo; Directory of Togo RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Togo RPCVs; Writing - Togo; Journalism

When this story was posted in June 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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