Over the past six months, the world has witnessed uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa by people demanding change, basic human rights, and fair treatment by their government. Today at the State Department, President Obama spoke about that change, its impetus, and the role of the U.S. in the region moving forward.
The President drew a contrast between the grisly acts of terrorism by al Qaeda and peaceful protests by ordinary citizens, and spoke about how self-determination can spark movements for change – as it did recently in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria, and as it did 250 years ago in the American colonies:
There must be no doubt that the United States of America welcomes change that advances self-determination and opportunity. Yes, there will be perils that accompany this moment of promise. But after decades of accepting the world as it is in the region, we have a chance to pursue the world as it should be.
… Those shouts of human dignity are being heard across the region. And through the moral force of nonviolence, the people of the region have achieved more change in six months than terrorists have accomplished in decades.
In a break from past U.S. policy more limited to a narrow set of strategic interests, the President charted a new course today – one that fosters a greater partnership and shared goals between the U.S. and the Arab world. He addressed those core values and asserted that they would instruct U.S. policy in the future:
The United States opposes the use of violence and repression against the people of the region.
The United States supports a set of universal rights. And these rights include free speech, the freedom of peaceful assembly, the freedom of religion, equality for men and women under the rule of law, and the right to choose your own leaders – whether you live in Baghdad or Damascus, Sanaa or Tehran.
And we support political and economic reform in the Middle East and North Africa that can meet the legitimate aspirations of ordinary people throughout the region.
President Obama made clear that the future legitimacy of these governments depends on their willingness to ensure their citizens have access to information; that journalists are free to report; that minorities are protected and respected; and that people have the right to vote and hold their government accountable. Those pillars are crucial to a successful democracy.
In addition to supporting political and human rights reform in the region, the President laid out steps to support economic change as well. He refocused the scope of U.S. involvement to include trade and investment to help generate jobs and increase economic productivity, a goal which also leads to greater empowerment, stability, and “broad-based prosperity.”
Lastly, the President addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He described a new path to peace, the rights and responsibilities of both states, and the role he envisions for the surrounding nations that all have a vested interest in a diplomatic and timely resolution:
That is the choice that must be made – not simply in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but across the entire region – a choice between hate and hope; between the shackles of the past and the promise of the future. It’s a choice that must be made by leaders and by the people, and it’s a choice that will define the future of a region that served as the cradle of civilization and a crucible of strife.
President Obama recognizes that progress will not be easy, but also that our country was “founded on the belief that people should govern themselves”:
And now we cannot hesitate to stand squarely on the side of those who are reaching for their rights, knowing that their success will bring about a world that is more peaceful, more stable, and more just.
Click here to read the President's full speech.