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Which city should Obama choose for his speech to the Middle East?
Hot Air » Top Picks — ... unless The One means to signal we’ve come all the way back to embracing decrepit Arab dictatorships full stop. Goldfarb prefers Baghdad , but whatever message Obama meant to convey in the speech would be subsumed in the perceived symbolism of a new president speaking from the seat of American colonial power. It could work in the context of an appeal for a “fresh start” between Americans and Muslims, with the location a reminder that what’s done is done and needs to be accepted, but it’s risky in the sense that no one knows how Arabs will interpret it. Why chance it? As for ...

Where Should Obama Give His Great Middle East Speech?
Stop The ACLU — ... done, is Dubai. No high drama in it, but their tourist industry likes westerners and their economy’s modern by Arab standards. “Less religion, more filthy lucre” isn’t the worst message to send. Exit question: Greenwald wonders what, precisely, Obama plans to say. Won’t it just end up being a rehash of his tedious speech on race, with both sides nominally faulted for their sins followed by a pander about Arab anger being “real” and everything ultimately blamed on economic insecurity? Michael Goldfarb: If one believes that there is some potential benefit to such a speech, and ...

Imam To Obama: Convert Or Die
Jules Crittenden — ... , mulling Obama’s options Islamic, rules out Dearborn, Mich. Abe Greenwald at Commentary says the consensus is on Cairo, which would give Hassan abu-Ashbal his big chance to show he’s not just another blowhard mullah. Either that or maybe get him and a lot of other Islamic extremist wackjobs put on ice for a few days.“ Why not Baghdad? ” says the Weekly Standard, sneering at NYT’s “it could appear to validate the Iraq war” Headsup, NYT: Obama’s already done that. Goldfarb adds that NYT’s “too soon” dismissal of Tehran misses the point. Obama giving it Ahmadinejad on his own ...

Pyramid Scheme?
Opinionator — ... The Obama donor, Los Angeles real estate executive Ted Leary, recalled that Obama spoke of his plan to donors at a February 20, 2007 breakfast fundraiser at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, soon after announcing his run for president.“Obama told the 20 or so of us at breakfast that ‘his first trip as President would be to Indonesia - the world’s most populous Muslim country,’” Leary recalled. Most the reaction has been from the right. Michael Goldfarb at the Weekly Standard’s Blog feels there’s only one good candidate : If one believes that there is some potential benefit to such ...