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Arab impatience with the Obama strategy

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Now that President Obama has announced his Afghanistan strategy, some in the Arab world are saying they’re like to see some action… on policy in the Middle East. The World’s Aaron Schachter reports from Beirut.

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MARCO WERMAN: While members of the U.S. Congress are focused on the new plan for the war in Afghanistan, residents of the Middle East are starting to show impatience with American efforts to help resolve their dispute.  Many in the region have long looked to the U.S. to help broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.  But increasingly, people in the Middle East are losing faith in President Obama’s efforts.  The World’s Aaron Schachter reports from Beirut.

AARON SCHACHTER: As he’s done since the start of his presidency, Mr. Obama made sure last night to highlight the U.S.’s newfound fondness for working together rather than dictating terms, especially when it comes to the Middle East.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: We have forged a new beginning between America and the Muslim World, one that recognizes our mutual interest in breaking a cycle of conflict, and that promises a future in which those who kill innocents are isolated by those who stand up for peace and prosperity and human dignity.

SCHACHTER: But  here in the Middle East people are looking to the U.S. for leadership, not  just talk.  Eli Nasrallah is a Canadian commentator on the Middle East.  He says there’s a mounting feeling that President Obama talks a good game, but doesn’t produce and last night’s Afghanistan speech won’t change any minds.

ELI NASRALLAH: This is in many ways a confirmation of the lack of doctrine, overarching principle in foreign policy.  It’s a pragmatic response to a pragmatic problem; one foot in, one foot out.

SCHACHTER: But the truth is even if  the President announced a soaring vision for Afghanistan, most in the Middle East wouldn’t be moved.  Afghanistan is not what they’re focused on.  They care more about what’s happening with the stalled Israeli-Palestinian talks.  Amir Taheri is an analyst with the pan-Arab Asharq al Awsat newspaper based in London. He says Obama officials have been hell bent on changing Bush Era policies rather than coming up with policies of their own.

AMIR TAHERI: They have created total confusion in the region.  There’s confusion in Washington that creates the perception of American weakness.

SCHACHTER: And that perhaps is President Obama’s greatest sin from the perspective of his critics.   How can the U.S. force parties in the region into agreements if it’s not trusted or feared?   But some Middle East commentators say folks here need to grow up.

RAMI KHOURI: It’s really simplistic and immature to say, “Well, you know, why doesn’t Obama do more to solve my problem?”  I mean, that’s like little kids.

SCHACHTER: Rami Khouri is Director of the Issam Fares Center at the American University of Beirut.  He says President Obama is doing pretty well considering what he’s up against.

KHOURI: On the Middle East he came out with strong position, he named Mitchell, he’s talked to Syrians, he negotiated with Iran, called for a settlement freeze, asked the Arabs to make gestures. Look at how he’s dealing with Afghanistan, which is obviously much more critical. On Iraq he’s made his moves.  On every major issue that he has confronted he has systematically thought it through and looked at options and then come out with a clear plan and pushed for it politically.

SCHACHTER: Khouri says the Obama Administration is probably just taking some time to digest all the goings on in the Middle East before fully committing political capital.  But Asarq al Awsat commentator Amir Taheri remains unconvinced.

AMIR TAHERI:  The President of the United States should be able to both chew gum and walk, which means that dealing with domestic problems should not prevent him from fulfilling American responsibilities abroad.

SCHACHTER: But Egyptian columnist Adel Darwish says he thinks the image of President Obama as a ditherer is held by only a tiny percentage of Arab elites.  He says the average person in the Middle East is still a big fan, and Darwish adds that skeptics could be won over with some bold initiatives by the U.S. elsewhere in the region.

ADEL DARWISH: If he managed a mini Marshall Plan for the West Bank, creating jobs and so on, that would be a sort of success.  Again, a cultural Marshall Plan to train journalists, educate Arabs, help translate books, and then he probably would go down in history.

SCHACHTER: Darwish says the Middle East’s focus may not be on Afghanistan and Iraq, but success there especially in Iraq could also go a long way toward calming the region. One thing Middle East observers agree on is that the U.S. must work harder in places closer to home.  For The World, I’m Aaron Schachter in Beirut.

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