Obama in Cairo

I've got this weird stomach bug, so I apologize in advance if this post makes less sense than usual. Today was the closest thing I've taken to a sick day in a bunch of years. But, I had a proposal to get out the door so I wrote, napped, repeat.

As I'm sure you know by now, Obama gave a big speech in Cairo yesterday. Let me just say right now that I don't give a shit what the "Arab street" thinks. First, there is no monolithic "Arab street". Second, the US president's job isn't to formulate policy strictly for their benefit.

I was pleased that he called out both the Palestinians (you're not getting between the US and Israel, so quit trying) and the Israelis (umb, you can't keep building settlements and negotiate for peace at the same time. Of course, that assumes that Netanyahu wants to negotiate for peace, which is a different story.).

Sure, it would have been rude to do so, but I wish he would have specifically called out some Arab governments, like Egypt's, for being anti-democratic. Our biggest foriegn policy problems in the Middle East is our support for repressive governments. And he could have been stronger in encouraging some of the countries to educate their girls.

In the end, even his eloquent words won't lead to much. When he tells Mubarek that he military aid will get cut unless he makes political reforms, then we'll have progress and relations with the "Arab street". Likewise when he tells the Saudi princes no more jets until full rights are extended to women. Partners who stay in power using repression and denying human rights are not our friends, nor should they be.