in the media

Is Obama's Middle East Agenda Realistic?

President Obama's recent address to the Muslim world dissapointed many democracy promotion supporters, who felt it did not strongly address the issue.

published by
The New Republic TV
 on June 5, 2009

Source: The New Republic TV

President Obama's recent address to the Muslim world dissapointed many democracy promotion supporters, who felt his speech did not strongly address the issue. As Michele Dunne explains, "This is very much a contrast with President Bush who promised a lot of support for democracy in the Middle East and promised, for example, support for activitsts who would be imprisoned by their governments... President Bush learned over time that it was very difficult to deliver that and it was very difficult to square that with some other U.S. interests. Obama is now trying to take a more low-key approach. In other words, to articulate his support for democracy as a general principle; not to directly or indirectly criticize any of the governments. The Obama people are saying that they are going to pursue this issue but a lot more quietly than Bush did."

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