TradeFlow21 Commentary: Will President Obama finally turn the page in U.S. – Middle East relations?
June 3rd, 2009 Posted in General, Industrial investment, News, Trade
When President Barack Obama delivers his address tomorrow in Cairo to the wider Muslim world, he will do so at great political risk to himself and his administration. But it is a risk that demonstrates the political courage of a first-term president who acts out of necessity, and not expediency.
Necessity demands the cessation of hostilities between Israel and its neighbors, including the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state as the only viable means of resolving the Palestinian question.
Necessity now requires a U.S. policy that summarily rejects those in all quarters who use division and discord as a means of maintaining their “competitive advantage” in the region.
Necessity dictates that economic development, through investment and trade, be embraced as the preferred path to establishing a more stable, secure world for all.
For over 60 years, the Middle East, which is comprised of over 20 nations spanning Northern Africa in the west to Southern Asia in the east, has been defined by conflict and oil. This is a new era. Real GDP non-oil growth in the region, which is projected to expand by more than 3.5 percent this year, suggests that Middle Eastern nations are actively pursuing commercial diversification as they seek to become full partners and competitors in the global economy. It also presents tremendous export opportunities for companies who want access to an emerging market of 500 million consumers.
The world is waiting for President Obama to signal a new turn in U.S. – Middle East relations where strategic alliances are built principally on commerce and trade. The partners of TradeFlow21 welcome such a change as both vital and necessary.
One Response to “TradeFlow21 Commentary: Will President Obama finally turn the page in U.S. – Middle East relations?”
By Michael Haltman on Jun 4, 2009
Is the Obama speech really courageous? I listened to it today, and it sounded like what it is I expected it to sound like. Apologies for the behavior of the United States abd promises that we will try and do better in the future.
This is the take that I had in my blog pre-speech, and my opinion has not changed much post-speech:
“President Obama will be giving his speech on Thursday, with the hope that he will begin to rebuild bridges and mend the fences that are claimed to have been destroyed during the Bush administration years. For the moderates in the region, the speech will no doubt be well received.
Unfortunately, this public relations exercise will certainly not carry much sway with anyone in the region to the right of moderate. Those who hate us, want us dead, want us destroyed, want Israel destroyed and basically want anyone with a different ideology then them destroyed will most likely not be very impressed.
President Obama will no doubt get rave reviews on the speech from all but the most important constituency. That would be the enemy that will remain our enemy. Just as a small example, this is an excerpt from the Al-Qaeda number two:…”
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