“Islam has demonstrated the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality. Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States, starting businesses and contributing in bringing about many of its achievements.” The world heard these words from President Barack Obama, when he stood in the Great Hall at the University of Cairo in June, 2009, and called on the Islamic world to open a new chapter with the United States on the grounds that “America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles — principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.” More than a year after the U.S. President's addressed the Muslims world, people are wondering what he will say when he speaks to Muslims again in a few days during his visit to the Istiqlal Mosque in Indonesia, where he will deliver a speech in yet another open-area that can accommodate a large audience. Regardless of the demonstrations that took to the street in many an Indonesian city, almost on a daily basis since the visit was announced, the Muslim peoples have not seen Obama's deeds that he declared in Cairo turn into actions on the ground. The assertion that U.S policies have indeed changed, and that targeting Muslims in general and Arabs in particular is no longer a staple element of U.S foreign policy - as was the case under the Bush administration and the notorious neo-conservatives around him- is true. Nevertheless, Muslims and Arabs did not get any special treatment under Obama, and did not receive any of their rights, rights they believe the United States has had a role, over many years, in undermining. In his speech in Cairo, Obama warned that “no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust. But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts .There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, as the Holy Koran tells us”. But it has been more than one year since this speech was delivered, and since Arabs and Muslims heard a similar discourse, all while the U.S. President's envoys and officials of his administration also heard the complaints, demands and points of view of Arabs and Muslims. Hence, the new development that the latter await is for those deeds to become actions, and for the speech to become reality. For instance, the Palestinians are still waiting to be given back some of their violated rights, or for Obama to translate his wishes to see direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, into pressures that rein in the Hebrew state, and by preparing the conditions that would make these negotiations fruitful. This is while noting that the majority of Arabs believe that these talks will lead nowhere. Indeed, there are pressures facing any U.S. President, and it is true that the language introduced by Obama, even before he sat behind the Oval Office at the White House, was reserved and non-provocative. However, the problem that remains is that of the red lines in terms of U.S.-Israeli relations, which are the dividing line between him and the Arabs and Muslims who are “fed up” with too much talk, and now only want to see actions. What is certain is that the deteriorated state of the Arab official regime means that the Arabs are not in a position where they can impose their will in any negotiations. Also, the fact that they have put all their eggs in the American basket has spoiled these eggs. Nevertheless, wasting time in speeches and rhetoric no longer pays. From Cairo to Jakarta, or to the capital of any other Islamic nation, words are just words, and they might even help prolong conditions that the discourse behind them sought to alter in the first place. These conditions are sure to remain the same so long as the views of the U.S. President stop at the doorsteps of words.
