Obama's Middle East Hypocrisy

Obama's Middle East Hypocrisy - by Stephen Lendman

Since taking office in January 2009, Obama broke every major campaign promise, including relevant ones to his May 19 Middle East speech; namely:

-- "hope;"

-- "change;"

-- peace;

-- democratic values;

-- closing Guantanamo in one year;

-- ending torture, illegal spying, and detention without trial; 

-- "a new era of openness;"

-- willingness to meet individually with Iranian, Syrian, Venezuelan, Cuban, and North Korean leaders;

-- supporting Israeli and Palestinian efforts to "fulfill their national goals: two states living side by side in peace and security;" and

-- on Afghanistan saying (October 27, 2007): "I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this (and the Iraq) war(s). You can take that to the bank," and by implication not begin new ones.

Instead, his rhetoric belied his policy, spurning democracy, civil liberties, human rights, and rule of law principles. He doubled down George Bush with:

-- imperial Iraq and Afghan wars;

-- two others against Pakistan and Libya;

-- another allied with Israel against Palestine;

 1  |  2  |  3  |  4