What part of Obama's speech in Cairo should give us hope for a new
relationship with the Islamic world? Rhetoric is just rhetoric when
actions contradict. Obama has become the new salesman for the American
royalty of rich power brokers and entitled elitists.

The significance of Obama's journey to the Middle East to give a
polished speech he began writing before his election is window dressing
and disingenuous. His destinations of Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the
cues to his lack of sincerity toward the Muslim world. He chose the two
most repressive regimes of the region to curry favor with the long
misunderstood and vilified people of Islamic faith. He spoke eloquently
about peace in Palestine and even dared to challenge Israel but his
failure to speak of the repression of Egypt's Mubarak and the Saudi
royal family makes his words hollow and hypocritical.

Progressives and liberals may want us to give Obama time but families
sending their sons and daughters off to the quagmires of Iraq and
Afghanistan war wonder when enough is enough after multiple deployments
of their loved ones. Yes, there is still two wars being waged in the
name of this nation and billions each month is being spent to fund them.
Billions that could be spent to "bail-out" the millions who have lost
jobs due to the handling of the phony economic crisis.

What goodwill is being gained by this nation when we continue to wage
illegal and immoral wars in nations of large Islamic populations? And
how do we stem the hatred toward Americans when we send drones into
Pakistan and make multiple mistakes in bombing the homes of innocent
civilians instead of the alleged enemy?

As expected the new deal of Obama has turned out to be the same old deal
of oligarchy, imperialism and nationalistic insanity. As expected Obama
has sold out to the self appointed "royalty" of America. The richest
families and multi-national corporations continue to wield the greatest
influence and power in this alleged democracy. Locally and nationally
special interests buy the elected political prostitutes while the poor
and diminishing middle class go begging for table scraps of the great
American dream.

While Obama speaks with a charisma not heard since JFK, like JFK he is
merely a tool of a corrupted system never meant to be about "we, the
people".

Wm. Terry Leichner, RN

Denver VVAW member