Obama’s Speech in Cairo

He hasn’t given it yet, but I suspect he’s going to nail it. And I don’t say this because I’m an Obama fanboy (I think a perusal through my archives will sort that). I say it because I’d don’t think you can grow up the way he did* and come out of it with the sort of certainty of superiority and righteousness that has previously plagued US presidents. To be clear, I think that Obama is compromised on any number of issues, but I don’t think he is (or can be) on what is the most central issue here – the basic recognition of the humanity and plight of the Islamic (and particularly, the Palestinian) world. Whether he will have the political fortitude to hold the necessary line with Israeli politicians in the future is a another issue. But this one – the genuine acknowledgment of humanity – he won’t get wrong. And that’s something.

*the way I did. Which is an explicit recognition of my perspective, here.

Update: here’s the text. Still looking for a video of the full speech.