Obama In Indonesia: Tone Deaf

When Obama spoke in Indonesia and made a point of speaking out against Israel, I noted that Obama chose to attack Israel while in a Muslim country.

What I did not realize is that there is more to it than that and that Obama really does not have a grasp of the implications of his actions.


P. David Hornik points out that Obama chose to rebuke Israel in a country known for its anti-Israel stance:

“This kind of activity is never helpful when it comes to peace negotiations,” President Obama said Tuesday at a press conference in Indonesia. He was referring to approvals issued in Israel this week to build 1300 homes in two East Jerusalem neighborhoods.

That is, 1300 homes for Jews. Obama would have had no problem if the announced homes had been designated for Arabs—or anyone other than Jews.

As the Wall Street Journal noted in an editorial, the country—Indonesia—in which Obama made his remark is one that forbids Israeli citizens to visit. Indonesia is also one of 19 UN member states that do not recognize Israel as a state, and it does not allow overflights by Israeli aircrafts.

One could say, then, that in counterposing Jewish homes in Jerusalem to peace, Obama was not encouraging the best side of the Indonesian national ethos.

Read the whole thing.

Obama himself has said he is eager to strengthen ties with the Muslim world:

President Barack Obama says he believes the United States is on "the right path" to a better relationship with the Muslim world, but acknowledges that policy differences will continue.

Standing next to Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SOO'-see-loh BAM'-bang yoo-doo-YOH'-noh) at a joint news conference in Jakarta, Obama said he has worked hard to repair frayed relations with the Muslim community.

Now Obama has made it clear to the Muslim world how much he is willing to sacrifice in order to do that.

Note: After writing this post, I came across a post by Sultan Knish, pointing out the genocidal past of Indonesia that Obama ignored:

While Obama found time to blast Israel for building housing in Jerusalem, he made no mention of the Indonesian genocide in East Timor. No word about the Indonesian mass murder of between 100,000 to 200,000 people in a country whose population totaled little more than half a million. Shortly after Obama left Jakarta, the Indonesian regime began an occupation that lasted until 1999. An occupation armed and aided by successive US administrations.

...Indonesia is a Muslim country. Their victims in East Timor were Christians.

Read the whole thing for more on Indonesia.

Obama thinks the US can be friends with anybody--except for the sole democracy in the Middle East.

Technorati Tag: Obama and Muslims.