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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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 OPINION ROUNDUP 
15

Obama 'Shrewd' in Cairo Speech

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(Newser) – Most of America wasn’t even awake when it happened, but Barack Obama’s Cairo speech got people talking anyway, the Washington Post reports. The New York Times says Obama delivered a "sweeping and forceful—at times scolding and combative" message, which included what the Wall Street Journal called a “shrewd” statement about women's rights. But overall, it was part of Obama’s détente with the Muslim world, and earned a standing ovation from the crowd.

In his call for greater understanding, Obama made his most detailed reference yet to his Muslim roots, notes Mike Allen of Politico, while Haaretz saw a “blunt repudiation” of Israel’s West Bank policy. Obama also spoke less-than-glowingly about the Iraq war, and "studiously" avoided the word "terrorism," much to the frustration of Michael Rubin of the National Review.

U.S. President Barack Obama waves to the audience as he arrives at the podium at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, June 4, 2009.
U.S. President Barack Obama waves to the audience as he arrives at the podium at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, June 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Unidentified Bahrainis sitting at a Manama, Bahrain, coffee shop watch through the smoke of water pipes as President Barack Obama delivers a speech aired live from Cairo, June 4, 2009
Unidentified Bahrainis sitting at a Manama, Bahrain, coffee shop watch through the smoke of water pipes as President Barack Obama delivers a speech aired live from Cairo, June 4, 2009   (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)
Hassan Roudani, 73, gestures while listening to a live broadcast from Cairo of a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama at a cafe in Casablanca, Morocco, Thursday, June 4, 2009.
Hassan Roudani, 73, gestures while listening to a live broadcast from Cairo of a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama at a cafe in Casablanca, Morocco, Thursday, June 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
US President, Barack Obama, has called for a "new beginning" in US relations with the Muslim world in a keynote speech in Egypt. Part 1 of 6   (mads2jensen)
US President, Barack Obama, has called for a "new beginning" in US relations with the Muslim world in a keynote speech in Egypt. Part 2 of 6   (mads2jensen)
US President, Barack Obama, has called for a "new beginning" in US relations with the Muslim world in a keynote speech in Egypt. Part 3 of 6   (mads2jensen)
US President, Barack Obama, has called for a "new beginning" in US relations with the Muslim world in a keynote speech in Egypt. Part 4 of 6   (mads2jensen)
US President, Barack Obama, has called for a "new beginning" in US relations with the Muslim world in a keynote speech in Egypt. Part 5 of 6   (mads2jensen)
US President, Barack Obama, has called for a "new beginning" in US relations with the Muslim world in a keynote speech in Egypt. Part 6 of 6   (mads2jensen)

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« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »
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15 comments
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Citrixguy
Jun 4, 09 11:25 AM CDT
And so the fawning from the left starts... Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
-6
IN RESPONSE:
JaneMP
Jun 4, 09 11:51 AM CDT
Even if it were fawning--which I don't agree with--communication is better than killing everyone who doesn't agree with us.
Vote up! Vote down!
+6
IN RESPONSE:
godawgs
Jun 4, 09 2:54 PM CDT
JaneMP he is still killing people who don't agree with us.
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-1
IN RESPONSE:
Doctor_Zaius
Jun 4, 09 6:50 PM CDT
And unlike the ones Bush killed these ones may actually have had something to do with 9/11.
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+3
IN RESPONSE:
foodchain11
Jun 4, 09 10:23 PM CDT
You people really have to join the world. We didn't (unfortunately) do much at all with George's war, killing +4000 Americans, and hundreds of thousands Iraqis, destroying our (and the rest of the world's) financial system. Yet you feel justified in complaining about something that hasn't gone wrong!! This is a democracy! It's what you kill for!!!!
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