Observers are assessing the outcome of the Secretary of State Mrs. Clinton’s trip to the Middle East. The Itinerary of the secretary was, first, the attendance of U.S.-Islamic World conference, second, stops in various Arab cities to promote and gather support for tougher sanctions against Iran. The result: mission unaccomplished.
About a year ago, the President delivered a speech in Cairo to push the restart button with the Muslim world, a year later the Muslim world and America for that matter received nothing other than sweet talk from each other. For the Muslim World America is still fighting two wars on Muslim land with no tangible or prospect for favorable end results for the Afghan and Iraqi populations. America is still disengaged from the peace process; America is now meddling in another Arab country’s affairs, Yemen; And America is threatening another Muslim country with severe sanctions, denying it the right to have nuclear power, whilst turning a blind eye on what Arabs perceive as the biggest threat in the region, Israeli two hundred or so nuclear war heads.
Thus, Instead of getting support for the U.S. led effort for more sanctions against Iran, Mrs. Clinton received skepticism form the Saudi Government on the effectiveness of more sanctions. Saudi foreign minister announced in a joint press conference with the U.S. secretary what is needed is “immediate measures” to solve the problem not more sanctions. She received similar response in university campus meetings, in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Most of the questions and comments the secretary received downplayed the threat of Iran and highlighted the threat of the Israeli nuclear bomb.
