Clearly this visit by President Barack Obama to Egypt has shaken Osama Bin Laden. While The President has been offering some great dialogue within his speeches about the relationships between Muslims and non Muslim nations, Bin Laden felt the need to make a tape trying to throw salt on the game. Of all the tapes Bin Laden released in the past, I would say they were offensive messages meant to rile up his followers. This one is obviously a defensive message as
The President has reached out to start a new process of peaceful living between Muslims and Jews.
I’ll tell you what too… these cats sure know how to set things out royally. I look forward to visiting these types of places myself. There are some majestic scenery’s indoors and out. So far the feelings towards Obama’s speech has been positive in that he is speaking and not lecturing as most have. He is holding all side accountable including Israel as well as the Palestinians.
When you consider the thousands of years of conflict based on religious beliefs and the hardliners, I can’t forsee a day of true and authentic peace in the Middle East. But certainly things can get better if the leadership of these nations and their citizens of sound minds decide to.
BB&Gcmac's Weblog 
bbgc’
I look at it this way. What the US created has come back to bite them in the ass ! In Afghanistan they induced the Taliban and Al Qaeda to take on the Russians. And then having got the victory they sought. They chose to abandon them all the more quickly. Where’s the sense in that to begin with ? Well I guess that’s what one’d call American foreign policy and diplomacy at its best ? They’ve not had a comprehensive foreign policy in years. And above all they do not comprehend the compleexities of the Middle East . Much less the underlying ramifications of their own self serving policies.
Alan aka abritishman …………
Alan,
You are preaching to the choir man…
But what makes a president great often hinges on how much of a mess he can help to clean up and repair from previous administrations – in this case pretty much most every administration before his democrat or republican.
He can’t fix it all – but certainly he is sophisiticated and dialed in enough to at least “get it” and do something to show that he will work to encourage positive and progressive advancement for the Middle East.
bbgc’
I’m not asking him to fix it all. As that’s a perilous task to begin with. And it certainly won’t help that it’ll be primarily lobbyists that tend to write the legislation as to the policy stance taken by the administration to begin with. How the hell is it that this country can still give close to $6.5bn in aid to Israel each year and get so little in return ? Ask yourself that ?
His biggest issue at present is dealing with the economy . Failure to keep real close tabs on that. And we needn’t worry about his legacy or anything else for that matter. My biggest issue is the mere fact that Geithner as knowledgeable as he is. He’s already committed a string of faux pas’ as Treasury Secretary. When he’s addressing the public much less members of Congress the guy looks as if he’s swallowed a damn dictionary. Hell give us something in layman’s terms that we understand. Instead of always pushing the President out there to always try and reassure us. That’s all I ask and then perhaps I’d have more faith in what it is you’re trying to do. The same to some extent can be said of Hillary Clinton, herself.
God knows this country sees itself as the leader of the free world . But more often than not it can’t get out of its own way ’cause of the crap it creates or steps into to begin with. And I’m saying this from what I’ve envisaged , seen and been a part of personally as a former member of the military. And then working in with the world of high finance in the city of London for several years after that.
Alan ………….
Indeed I didn’t think you were asking him to fix it all… I was just giving a general thought that i concur with the historical facts you mentioned.
As learned a man as you seem to be – you should know that there are always reasons that we give money to countries that serve national interest regardless of whether it makes “common” sense to folks who are on the outside looking in. Politics makes strange bedfellows is an old saying. There are many cases in life where I have learned that logic and morality are not always the ticket in society period for why things are done.
That is not to say that Israel specifically is not worthy of financial support. They are our most significant allie in the Middle East – and there is a pretty serious Jewish population in the US – with a lot of influence. What we “get” back in return may or may not be understood unless we are on the inside.
For example we give Egypt MUCH money too – but are they not a dictatorship?
So just objectively speaking – ideas are one thing. And in many ways we hold to them. But the devil is always in the details. When you add men with agendas then the ideas go by the wayside. We argue the morality of it when its the furthest things from the minds of those implementing their agendas. To that degree we are just natives in the jungle bruh.
Stay Strong
bbgc’
The country gives to Egypt in excess of $1.8bn a year. And that’s in aid and other assistance as needed. As you rightfully say politics makes for strange bedfellows’ What’s so different is the mere fact that US policy has been about overthrowing governments that it deems as being not in their own best interests. I know that this has been done time after time. And that the US hasn’t been the only proponent of this stance.
But as the saying goes …. if you’ve learnt nothing from the errors of your past then how are you to proceed along the right path as your own future ‘ ? And that’s not the US has failed to learn over the years. So much so that it has seen its sphere of economic and political influence diminish greatly over the years.
And you’ve got idiots on both sides of the political argument that have their own agenda and who don’t at all understand the underlying issues as far as the Middle East is concerned. Hell I doubt that many of them have actually traveled outside the US to begin with and spoken with anyone much less try and communicate in another language. That’s the real issue that’s all so apparent with today’s leaders within Congress and both sides of the agenda.
I’d rather be an educated and in touch member in the jungle knowing full well what’s going on . Rather being told how and which way I ought to be leaning as to my own beliefs. As no man or side has all the right answers to the pertinent questions. Be they Liberals or Conservatives for that matter. It has to be a collective thing if we’re to deal with the real issues adroitly !
Alan ………….
I can dig it~
I appreciate your passion – if anything I would just suggest from my experience that even as you hold to these passions and fight for what you believe in – Fight on and fight again. But never take injustice and evil personally. The pain will just eat you up. Instead use the good sense and knowledge/education you have to inform and work with others who are motivated to make change as you are toward solutions. Its a long fight – and progress is slow. What you want to change may not indeed change at all during your lifetime – but perhaps for your kids or grandkids.
just a good word from a friend.
bbgc’
That’d be predicated upon me procreating first and creating my own familial lineage. I live vicariously through the nieces and nephews and the kids of my friends on that score. I’ve been married once and I don’t see myself going down that route again. Even with a girlfriend now in tow.
I became politically motivated and active in high school in the UK. And I marched incessantly outside the South African embassy when Nelson was being detained during the apartheid regime of PK Botha and before that. Much of that time there was little being done much less said about on this side of the Atlantic. Save but a few token words by some.
Then you had the likes of an opportunist likes Jesse Jackson carrying on as if he’d actually played a part in his ultimate release.
Britain enacted sanctions against South Africa long before the US even sought to embrace that particular principal or stance to begin with.
That’s what motivates me and still does to this very day !
Alan ……………