ANOTHER BIT OBAMA FORGOT

Another Bit Obama Forgot

It has already been well established that Obama's Cairo speech was poor history in an attempt to forge a new direction for history. I'd even be willing to accept there may have been a connection between his effort and yesterday's electoral victory of the Western-friendly camp in Lebanon over the anti-mankind parties, though I wouldn't get carried away quite yet. There was a moment in 2004 when Lebanese politics had hardened Bush-haters wondering if he'd gotten something right, and a lot that helped. Lebanon, like the rest of the world only exageratedly, is largely impervious to wishful thinking.

Still, it's worth noting the many things Obama got wrong, not to denigrate him but to retain clarity. While I certainly hope Obama's aspirations materialize, pretending history didn't happen is a fine tactic for a speech, but a poor strategy for changing things.

Did you notice he managed to overlook the ethnic cleansing of the Jews of the Arab world, and its ongoing denial? Andre Aciman wishes to remind you.

taken from : Yaacov Lozowick's Ruminations