Improving US-Arab Ties

On Jun 4, 2009, President Obama went to Cairo, Egypt and gave a speech to the Islamic World. It was entitled, A New Beginning, a seemed to promise a less overtly hostile attitude from US government toward the Muslim World.  Given the apologetic and conciliatory tone of the address, I was quick to disparage it. Given the antipodal natures of America and Islam, I found it’s entire premise to be fatally flawed.

I had overlooked the fact that, while President Obama was careful to formally address the Islamic World as a whole, he was actually speaking to the Arabs and the Persians. He was speaking to the controlling partners in OPEC. Given that fact and the fact that he is in the processes of semi-nationalizing the US auto industry,  President Obama may well be ushering a new era of improved US-Arab relations.

Barack Hussein Obama, President of GM

Yes, President Obama’s administration having ownership of majority shares of the remains of both GM and Chrysler will definitely have the Arabs rethinking their bargaining positions with the United States.

Originally on Reflections From a Murky Pond!