The Interview

Having heard the Al-Arabiya interview, I will say that there is not much there to scandalize anyone. He committed himself to nothing specific, and he made standard remarks urging respect and understanding. One of the advantages that Obama has in speaking to an Arabic-language network so early in his term is that the novelty of doing it and the priority he gave it are just remarkable enough that he need not say anything significant. He didn’t need to say anything significant, and so he didn’t. Nonetheless, it is no wonder that this American woman’s Muslim in-laws were impressed by the interview. When people have become accustomed to hearing nothing or at least nothing favorable, the slightest acknowledgement of their concerns seems very significant, even though it may be nothing more than sugar coating for yet another bitter pill. The starving man will rejoice over crumbs, which is all Obama is likely to offer the Al-Arabiya audience and Americans interested in significant policy changes. Of course, this Lebanese family may be aware that Obama unequivocally backed Israel’s bombardment and invasion of Lebanon when he was in the Senate, which tends to put his “empathy for Muslim children and their lives” in a rather harsh perspective.