Israel Matzav

Change: Obama going after Israel

US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith told an Arabic news outlet that President Obama's policies will change in the second term.

Ambassador Smith "stressed the desire of President Obama to resolve a number of foreign issues, most notably restoring negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, responding more strongly to Iran, and working with allies to end the Syrian crisis, in addition to providing support for the new governments in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, and assisting the current Yemeni President," Asharq Al-Awsat reported.

The ambassador appears not to have elaborated further.

Obama was famously overheard promising the Russian leadership more flexibility after he was reelected by the American people. It now seems Obama believes he will have more flexibility in the Middle East, too.
The Arabic outlet also asked the ambassador about America's relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood:

With regards to the reservations being harboured by some in the Gulf region towards America’s supposed backing for the Muslim Brotherhood, Ambassador Smith denied that the Brotherhood received special support from the Obama administration before the rise of the Arab Spring in the region. He stressed the need to adhere to democratic choices, rather than imposing the choices of foreign powers, whilst also askin “where did the Islamists come from?” The Ambassador pointed out that following his victory at the Egyptian presidential elections; President Mohammed Mursi’s first official state visit was to Saudi Arabia.

That sounds an awful lot like his first term, assuming that the part about Iran is more bluster that will never happen.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Islamist, our friends the Saudis

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:19 PM