Obama’s Egyptian report card: His first 100 days and the Cairo speech
Issue 9, Fall 2009
courtesy of Flickr and vagabondblogger
American President Barack Obama promised to turn the page in US relations with the Middle East and Muslim world, calling for “a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”[1] During his first 100 days in office he made good on that promise with a number of initiatives in which he reached out to Arabs and Muslims across the globe. Obama granted his first interview to the Arabic-language news channel Al Arabiya, to which he explained that his Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell had been instructed to listen, “because all too often the United States starts by dictating.”[2] He later offered a New Year’s greeting of hope and peace in a video message to the Iranian people and their government, and in Ankara told the Muslim world that “the United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam.”[3] And although slightly behind schedule, he finally delivered a much-touted speech in Egypt in which he highlighted America and the Muslim world’s shared interests, again seeking “a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world.”[4]
Given the challenges posed by the global financial crisis and the historical significance of his being the nation’s first African-American president, it is no surprise that much was made in the US of Obama’s first 100 days in office. Western media outlets such as CNN devoted special segments to analysis of the president’s first few months at work, while commentators and editorial pages picked apart his opening policies. Politicians, scholars, and pundits on Salon.com and in Foreign Policy magazine even issued report cards for Obama, grading his handling of a host of issues both foreign and domestic.[5] He passed with flying colors.
And when his Middle East outreach initiatives are viewed alongside his reversals of US policies on Iraq, offshore prisons, and torture, it is not surprising either that the Arab and Muslim worlds have also watched President Obama closely since he assumed office in late January. So how did Arabs and Muslims in the Middle East, on the receiving end of so much of US foreign policy, grade Obama’s first 100 days in office and his historic Cairo speech? In their view, did he pass or fail?
The Cairo test and its graders
Egypt is a key player in both the Arab and Muslim worlds and is an important US ally in the Middle East. The country has been receiving upwards of $2 billion a year in American military and economic aid since 1975.[6] This fiscal year, however, Congress has scaled back aid to Egypt to $1.5 billion down from $1.71 billion last year, much of it funding for “democracy promotion,” citing human rights concerns and calling for Cairo to increase security cooperation with Israel.[7] Egypt has the largest Arab army and is a military, security, and economic force in the Middle East. Having signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1979, Cairo also plays an influential role in Arab-Israeli and intra-Palestinian negotiations. This, along with the country’s historic weight, has long granted it a powerful political standing in the region. Important religious institutions such as Al-Azhar have secured it an influential place in the greater Muslim world as well. In addition, Egypt boasts one of the region’s oldest and richest media landscapes with a myriad newspapers, television channels, and a blossoming blogosphere.
During President Obama’s first 100 days in office from 20 January to 29 April, three of Egypt’s most prominent writers and journalists, Salaama Ahmed Salaama, Fahmy Howeidy, and Ibrahim Eissa, penned 193 op-ed pieces, 71 (37%) of which discussed Obama and US policy. Media has often been examined as a means of gauging public opinion in the Arab world, and can be a useful measure along with public opinion polls and surveys.[8] So just as op-ed journalists in American newspapers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal hold sway over American public opinion, these three writers are among those widely-read Egyptian journalists who influence public opinion on the “Egyptian street.”
Salaama Ahmed Salaama, the first writer, has had a career in journalism since 1953, and until earlier this year was the managing editor of the pro-government Al-Ahram, one of the region’s oldest newspapers and Egypt’s most widely distributed.[9] A shrewd and succinct writer, Salaama is perhaps most widely recognized for his popular daily column in Al-Ahram, “Close Up.” He is the editor-in-chief of the intellectualist political and cultural magazine Wighat Nathar, and recently left Al-Ahram to contribute to the up-and-coming independent newspaper Al-Shorouk. Salaama is typically categorized as progressive and liberal, and although often critical of government policies, he rarely crosses red lines.
Fahmy Howeidy, like Salaama, has had a long career in journalism spanning over 50 years and now also writes for Al-Shurouk.[10] A prolific writer, Howeidy enjoys widespread popularity across the region through the publication of numerous books and the printing of his articles throughout much of the Arab world. He formerly produced a weekly column for Al-Ahram but discontinued it in December of 2008 alleging increased censorship of his work, most notably of his outspoken criticism of the Egyptian government during Israel’s 2008-2009 offensive in Gaza.[11] Howeidy is a complex and thoughtful writer and is generally described as a “moderate Islamist.”
The third writer, Ibrahim Eissa, is the editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Al-Dustour. Eissa is known as a harsh critic of the Egyptian regime under President Hosni Mubarak and has been jailed a number of times for “insulting the Egyptian president” and “threatening public security.” Most recently, he was pardoned – by the President - in October 2008 after being sentenced for “spreading rumors” about the status of President Mubarak’s health.[12] Al-Dustour, in which he writes a daily editorial, has faced its fair share of obstacles as well. After its founding in 1995, it was shut down for seven years in 1998 for printing a message from an Islamic group threatening Egyptian Coptic businessmen.[13] Eissa writes biting, sometimes jumbled editorial pieces, often injecting colorful Egyptian dialect into his newspaper’s otherwise Modern Standard Arabic journalese.
Passing grades, failing grades
President Obama did not score as well on his Egyptian report card as he did on his American one. While these writers generally commended him for his initiatives in engaging with the Arab and Muslim worlds, they criticized him for not promoting democracy in the region and for what they saw as a continuation of Bush administration policies on the Arab-Israeli conflict.
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Email this article[1] President Barack Hussein Obama, Inaugural Address, Whitehouse.gov, 20 January 2009, http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/inaugural-address/, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[2] “Interview of the President By Hisham Melhem, Al Arabiya,” The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, America.gov, 26 January 2009, http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2009/January/20090127161320xjsnommis0.705578.html, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[3] “Remarks by President Obama to the Turkish Parliament,” The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, Whitehouse.gov, 6 April 2009, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-President-Obama-To-The-Turkish-Parliament/, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[4] Remarks by the President on a New Beginning,” The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, Cairo, Egypt, Whitehouse.gov, 4 June 2009, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Cairo-University-6-04-09/, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[5] Vincent Rossmeier, Mark Schone and Gabriel Winant, “Obama's 100-day Report Card,” Salon.com, 29 April 2009, http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/04/29/100_days/index.html, Accessed 2 August 2009 and David Rothkopf, “Obama's Report Card,” Foreignpolicy.com, April 2009, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php ?story_id=4890, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[6] Jeremy M. Sharp, “Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations,” Congressional Research Service, 26 March 2009, 5.
[7] “U.S. Reduces Aid to Egypt over Security Failures,” Worldtribune.com, 10 October 2008, http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2008/ss_egypt0596_10_10.asp, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[8] See Jyotika Ramaprasad and Naila Nabil Hamdy, “Functions of Egyptian Journalists,” The International Communication Gazette, Vol. 68, No. 2, 167, 180; Bernhard Vogel, Karsten Grabow, Karl-Rudolf Korte, Kristina Weissenbach, “KAS Democracy Report 2008: Media and Democracy Vol.II,” Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V., 24 October 2008, 181 and Naiem A. Sherbiny, “America: A View from Egypt,” Social Research: An International Quarterly of Social Sciences, Vol. 72, No. 4, (Winter 2005), 831. For public opinion polling in the Arab world, see “2009 Arab Public Opinion Poll,” Survey of the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland with Zogby International, Principal Investigator: Shibley Tehlami, http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/events/2009/0519_arab_opinion/2009_arab_ public_opinion_poll.pdf, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[9] Aziza Sami, “Salama Ahmed Salama: A Gallant Helmsman,” Al-Ahram Weekly On-line, 18 - 24 June 1998, Issue No.382, http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/1998/382/people.htm, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[10] Aziza Sami, “Fahmy Howeidy: He Extends a Bridge to the Other Side, while Standing Firm in his Convictions,” Al-Ahram Weekly On-line, 18 - 24 September 2003, Issue No. 656, http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/656/profile.htm, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[11] Faragh Ismail, “Fahmy Howeidy Retires From Al-Ahram Protesting Censorship of his Articles after 50 Years of Affiliation with and 22 Years of Contribution to the Newspaper,” Alarabiya.net, 1 December 2008, http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/12/01/61167.html, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[12] Agence France-Presse, “Egypt president pardons news editor sentenced to jail,” 6 October 2008, http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jAWKPSIIBnyUd4ziV8Sl7jaqbedw, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[13] Michael, Maggie, “Egypt Strives to Quell Mubarak Rumors, Washingtonpost.com, 4 September 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401348_pf.html, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[14] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “Arab Reconciliation…Where is it Going?,” Shorouknews.com, 14 March 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=14806, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[15] Fahmy Howeidy, “The Time for Recovery and Re-examination,” Shorouknews.com, 23 March 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=17812, 18 July 2009.
[16] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “Closing Guantanamo,” Ahram.org.eg, 27 January 2009, http://www.ahram.org.eg/archive/Index.asp?CurFN=amod5.htm&DID=9840, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[17] Ibrahim Eissa, “Mr. No!!”, Dostor.org, 16 March 2009, http://dostor.org/ar/index.php?option=com_ content&task=view&id=17313&Itemid=5, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[18] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “Obama and Islam,” Shorouknews.com, 8 April 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/ Column.aspx?id=24048, Accessed 30 July 2009 and Howeidy, March 23.
[19] Ibrahim Eissa, “Hate Incapacitates Reason!,” Dostor.org, 2 February 2009, http://dostor.org/ar/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14081, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[20] Ibrahim Eissa, “Everything Was Revealed and Became Clear,” Dostor.org, 1 February 2009, https://dostor.org/ar/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13348&Itemid=1, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[21] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “Barren American Policies,” Shorouknews.com, 16 March 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=15400, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[22] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “The Poisonous Kiss,” Shorouknews.com, 16 May 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=12824, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[23] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “Dangers Threaten Reconstruction,” Shorouknews.com, 2 March 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=11726, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[24] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “In Time Lost,” Ahram.org.eg, 17 February 2009, http://www.ahram.org.eg /archive/Index.asp?CurFN=amod7.htm&DID=9861, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[25] Fahmy Howeidy, “Waiting for Obama,” FahmyHoweidy.blogspot.com, 24 January 2009, http://fahmyhoweidy.blogspot.com/2009/01/blog-post_24.html, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[26] Ibrahim Eissa, 1 February 2009.
[27] Salaama Ahmed Salaama, “Waiting for Obama,” Shorouknews.com, 27 May 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=47998, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[28] Fahmy Howeidy, “We Trust his Intention and Doubt his Ability,” Shorouknews.com, 3 June 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=51258, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[29] Ibid.
[30] Ibid.
[31] Ibid.
[32] Fahmy Howeidy, “Obama, The One We’ve Been Waiting For,” Shorouknews.com, 1 June 2009, http://www.shorouknews.com/Column.aspx?id=50242, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[33] Ibid.
[34] Ibrahim Eissa, “Obama is Here!,” Dostor.org, 10 May 2009, http://dostor.org/ar/index.php?option
=com_content&task=view&id=22125&Itemid=64, Accessed 2 August 2009..
[35] Ibrahim Eissa, “Obama is Over There,” Dostor.org, 11 May 2009, http://dostor.org/ar/index.php?option
=com_content&task=view&id=22248&Itemid=64, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[36] Ibid.
[37] Ibid.
[38] Ibrahim Eissa, “Obama is Over There,” 11 May 2009.
[39] Ibid.
[40] Interview by Gihan Shahine, “Not What it Seems,” Al-Ahram Weekly On-line, 4 - 11 June 2009, Issue No. 950, http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/950/sc5.htm, Accessed 2 August 2009 and Gihan Shahine, “Mixed Reactions,” 11 - 17 June 2009, Issue No. 951, http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/951/sc01.htm, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[41] Ibrahim Eissa, “Why Did the Audience not Heap Teddy Bears at Obama's Feet While They Were At It!?,” Dostor.org, http://dostor.org/ar/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24243
&Itemid=64, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[42] Nathan Field, “Obama in Cairo: The Egyptian Reaction,” Worldpoliticsreview.com, 5 June 2009, http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=3876, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[43] Interview by Shahine, 4 - 11 June 2009.
[44] Ibid.
[45] Eissa, Why did the Masses not Throw themselves Obama…All at Once!?”
[46] See “2003-2009 Arab Public Opinion Polls,” Survey of the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland (with Zogby International), Principal Investigator: Shibley Tehlami, http://sadat.umd.edu/surveys/index.htm, Accessed 2 August 2009.
[47] Howeidy, 24 January 2009.
[48] Eissa, Why did the Masses not Throw themselves Obama…All at Once!?”
[49] Howeidy, 23 March 2009.
[50] Gihan Shahine, “Mixed Reactions,” 11 - 17 June 2009, Issue No. 951, http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/ 2009/951/sc01.htm, Accessed 2 August 2009 and Dina Ezzat, “Obama’s Extended Hand,” Al-Ahram Weekly On-line, 4 - 11 June 2009, Issue No. 950, http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/950/fr1.htm. Accessed 2 August 2009.
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