tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post7260940282860219857..comments2024-03-20T01:06:12.181-04:00Comments on MEI Editor's Blog: Egypt as Venue for Obama's Speech: Two Modest ProposalsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post-13713236625670570332009-05-12T22:06:00.000-04:002009-05-12T22:06:00.000-04:00The Al-Qaeda-types seem to think it is a great ide...The Al-Qaeda-types seem to think it is a great idea! It affords them the opportunity to establish a precedent for the speech and that would be the Napoleonic invasion of Muslim lands!<br /><br />From your blogroll:-<br /><br />http://talismangate.blogspot.com/2009/05/obamas-proposed-speech-in-cairo-is.htmlold-timernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post-39646947741248974012009-05-12T04:25:00.000-04:002009-05-12T04:25:00.000-04:00As much as I'd like to see Obama give the speech a...As much as I'd like to see Obama give the speech at Al Azhar, it think it would be far too incendiary. The Library would be nice but, as is mentioned, it isn't overly 'Muslim'. <br /><br />How about in Tahrir Square? I imagine that the logistics of this would be beyond a nightmare (i.e. traffic etc). But surely this is the beating heart of Egypt, its most central of central squares?<br /><br />Also, does Egypt's history of assassinations (by the military, no less) not bother anyone?<br /><br />DBR www.thegulfblog.comDavid B Robertshttp://www.thegulfblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22261571.post-42106961871393273232009-05-11T14:31:00.000-04:002009-05-11T14:31:00.000-04:00Good ideas, Mike, especially Al Azhar. Mark Lynch...Good ideas, Mike, especially Al Azhar. Mark Lynch and other critics of Obama's choice of Egypt because of its autocratic regime, miss what is most important. Obama wants to make a real difference, not score philosophic points about "democracy" and "human rights," as we Americans choose to define those concepts. Surely, we had enough preaching about those matters over the years, especially the preceding eight years. Everything Obama has been saying and doing, starting with his inaugural call for a new relationship between the US and the Muslim world, based on "mutual interests and mutual respect," indicates he is as much into listening as he is into projecting American values. We can best do the latter by setting a shining example at home while taking some practical steps abroad, as he has been doing. That way, when Obama speaks in Egypt, it won't be a repeat of the "listen to what we say, don't watch what we do, and nanny knows best what is good for naughty children." However idealistic our intentions, those have too often been the perceived hallmarks of the American missionary approach to foreign policy.David Macknoreply@blogger.com