Yes, Obama Lit a Fuse

It was June 4, 2009 at the University of Cairo. Barack Obama was there with a message that he had carefully prepared over several months and in which he had pinned their hopes to revisit — in depth and without impositions — the relationship between the West and Islam as it had been during the Bush era. He began his message with a “Salaam aleikum,” and the auditorium full of students, teachers and religious officials burst into applause.

He spoke to young people and told them that the U.S. would be on their side in their quest for a better world. He mentioned words like human rights, justice, education and progress.

What Obama and his listeners didn’t know – or maybe what he and some listeners did know? — is that he was lighting the fuse of what is happening today in Egypt and the Arab world: the beginning of what many call a “democratic revolution” in a region of the world that has, until now, been subjected to the stereotype of an alleged iron dilemma between despotism and religious autocracy. Noam Chomsky, among others, pointed out that Obama did the same as always when faced with the events in Egypt: he behaved like an imperialist.

Not true.

That speech has to be reread and the manner in which the events have taken place has to be considered. The president of the world’s most dominant military power and sustained the regime that ruled Egypt in recent decades told some very specific things to his people: “I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas; they are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere…And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments – provided they govern with respect for all their people.”

It is likely that things will not go the best for the United States. But Obama’s bravery of planting the seed can’t be disputed.