Middle Eastern foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration
Encyclopedia
For purposes of U.S. foreign policy, the Middle East
consists of Gaza
, Iran
, Iraq
, Israel
, Libya
and Syria
.
. This cease-fire was shortly lived and sporadic fighting and attacks would continue to occur into the Obama administration. Israel completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip
on January 21, 2009, one day after Obama was sworn in as President. $900 million was pledged from Hillary Clinton to help the rebuilding process in Gaza. This was criticized by Matthew Sinclair of the TaxPayers' Alliance
and Barbara Crook of the pro-Israel Palestinian Media Watch
, who claim that the money will be used to promote terrorism and teach Palestinians to hate non-Muslims and oppose the existence of Israel.
On June 4, 2009, in a speech addressing Muslim
s in Cairo
, Egypt
, President Obama said, "Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed." He cited the African American civil rights movement, the Indonesian Revolution of 1998, and the negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa as historical examples of successful nonviolent uprisings to end social, racial, and political injustice and added, apparently in reference to several infamous terrorist attacks by Palestinian organizations
, "It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered." Reacting to the speech, Hamas senior adviser Ahmed Yousef
expressed wary approval, telling the pan-Arab news network Al Jazeera
, "The things he said about Islam and the Palestinian suffering and their right to have a state is great. It is a landmark and a breakthrough speech. But when it comes to legitimacy of the Israeli right to exist [there are issues]. He knows the Palestinians have to have their own state before recognizing another." "[A]ll we can say is that there is a difference in the statements [from those of former U.S. President George W. Bush], and the statements of today did not include a mechanism that can translate his wishes and views into actions," said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum.
outlined U.S. foreign policy towards Iran by saying that the U.S. is "willing to talk to Iran, and to offer a very clear choice: continue down your current course and there will be pressure and isolation; abandon your illicit nuclear program and support for terrorism and there will be meaningful incentives." He also referred to the Iranian people as "a great people" and the said that the "Persian civilization is a great civilization. But Iran has acted in ways that are not conducive to peace in the region or to the prosperity of its people; its illicit nuclear program is but one manifestation."
On February 7, 2009, while attending the Munich Conference, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament
Ali Larijani
is reported by the Tehran Times
as saying “The West should understand that the Iranian people are not a second grade nation,”
On February 8, 2009, one day after Biden's speech at the Munich Conference, Larijani said "We are ready to talk without pre-conditions. But for that, we need a real starting point... If the Americans are really willing to resolve the problems, then they must present their concept." Larijani also provided a list of Iranian grievances against the United States including a U.S.-backed coup d'état
in 1953, a decision to freeze Iranian assets following the 1979 Iranian revolution, support for Iraq
during the Iran-Iraq war
in 1980–1988 referring to these as "the burnt bridges between Iran and America." He also referred to Obama's decision to send an envoy to the Middle East to "listen to people and not to dictate" as a "positive signal."
When asked, on February 9, 2009, whether Iran was open to direct discussion of its nuclear program with the United States, Larijani stated that "It depends on the circumstances and the benefits of having that conversation," and "We don't want to be taken advantage of. But we're not against constructive dialogue." Larijani also stated that "This is an exceptional opportunity for the Americans" adding that if the United States eased embargoes against Iran, it would be considered a positive step even though he believed "the window of opportunity is the narrowest possible, they could change their strategy."
Obama reaffirmed on February 9, 2009 that the United States was reviewing its policy towards Iran and that the administration was also looking for opportunities for "face to face" talks with Iran while Larijani called on the United States, on February 9, 2009, to present a clear proposal to Iran and stated that Iran doesn't "negotiate for the sake of negotiating" but would instead negotiate to reach a "definitive solution." He also said that Iran would need to believe that there was a "firm decision to solve the problems of the region" and that the United States was seeking a "strategic" and not a "tactical" change in its policy.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, on February 10, 2009, stated that Iran was open to direct talks with the United States going so far as to say "The Iranian nation is prepared to talk. However, these talks should be held in a fair atmosphere in which there is mutual respect." On February 11, 2009, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
said "If the American administration wants to keep up with the changes, this will be happy news" while Hassan Qashqavi, of the Foreign Ministry, said that Iran was "inclined to logic, talks and consideration" and that "We do not wish that Mr Obama misses the opportunity with us if he really is after bringing about serious changes in his policies," he said. "That is why we would not pre-empt him and make no prejudgement in this connection."
On March 1, 2009, Admiral
Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
, said that U.S. officials believe Iran possesses enough highly enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon. He characterized the effect that Iran's nuclear armament would have on the region and world as "very, very bad". Defense Secretary
Robert Gates
contradicted Mullen, however, saying, "They're not close to having a stockpile, they're not close to having a weapon at this point, and so there is some time" to attempt to avoid that outcome.
On March 5, 2009, Clinton attended the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels
. At this meeting, Clinton proposed including Iran at a conference on Afghanistan. Clinton said the proposed conference could be held on March 31 in the Netherlands
.
Obama reached out to the Iranian leaders and people in a speech in April 2009 when he released a video for the Iranian New Year, Nowruz
. In it he outlined his views about American-Iranian Relations and addressed several key issues including the nuclear ambitions of Iran
and Iran's role in fighting terrorism
.
In a widely publicized speech addressing Muslims in Cairo
, Egypt
, on June 4, 2009, President Obama reached out to Iran, admitting that the U.S. "played a role" in the Cold War
-era coup against the democratically elected Iranian government and saying, "There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect." He also affirmed his administration's position that Iran has the right to seek nuclear power
, but warned that seeking nuclear weapons "could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path," adding that he supported nuclear disarmament
.
The 2009 Iranian presidential election
was held on June 12, 2009. Candidates included Ahmadinejad, Mir-Hossein Mousavi
, the former Prime Minister of Iran, and Mehdi Karroubi
, a former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament
. There are reports that the upcoming election had influenced deliberations about the "timing for potential Iran Talks." Following the 2009 Iranian election protests
Obama said: "'In 2009 no iron fist is strong enough to shut off the world from bearing witness to the peaceful pursuit of justice. Despite the Iranian government's efforts to expel journalists and isolate itself, powerful images and poignant words have made their way to us through cell phones and computers, and so we have watched what the Iranian people are doing." He also noted that "'This is not about the United States and the West. This is about the people of Iran, and the future that they - and only they - will choose'" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8115232.stm
Obama signed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 on July, 1 2010 to expand sanctions on Iran
as the incoming U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, replacing the previous Bush
-appointee Ryan Crocker
, who had been in the post nearly two years. During the first few months Obama was Commander in Chief of the United States Military, it charged and convicted U.S. soldier Clifford Cornell of desertion
, and sentenced him to one year in prison for refusing to participate in the Iraq War. The charge occurred February 23, 2009, (in Obama's second month), and the conviction occurred April 24, 2009.
On February 27, 2009, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
in North Carolina
, Obama announced a deadline for the withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq
. According to the president, by August 31, 2010, after nearly seven and a half years of United States military engagement in Iraq, all but a "transitional force" of 35,000 to 50,000 troops will be withdrawn from the Middle Eastern nation. Obama defined the task of the transitional force as "training, equipping, and advising Iraqi Security Forces
as long as they remain non-sectarian; conducting targeted counter-terrorism missions; and protecting our ongoing civilian and military efforts within Iraq". Under this plan, the majority of troops will be withdrawn over a year before the deadline in the signed agreement between former President George W. Bush
and Prime Minister of Iraq
Nouri al-Maliki
. On August 31, 2010, Obama announced in his Oval Office address that the United States combat mission in Iraq was over.
of Barack Obama
as President of the United States
, some Jews, including United States Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut
, questioned Obama's commitment to Israeli security. Obama maintained that he supports Israel and said he would continue the U.S.
alliance with Israel as president. The Democratic candidate ultimately carried the state of Florida
, with its large Jewish population, in the general election, signaling that his efforts to assuage the concerns of Israeli partisans had been at least moderately successful.
In January 2009, then-President-elect
Obama expressed "concern" over heavy fighting
between Israel and Hamas
in the Gaza Strip
, but said he would leave it to the outgoing Bush administration to express the official U.S. position on the conflict. Obama was criticized by voices on both the left and the right for his reluctance to speak out about the Gazan conflict.
In March 2009, Obama appointee and ally Hillary Rodham Clinton
traveled as Secretary of State
to Israel. She warned that Israeli settlements and demolition of Arab
homes in East Jerusalem
were "unhelpful" to the peace process. Clinton also voiced support for the establishment of a Palestinian state
—a solution supported by Israeli Foreign Minister and opposition leader-to-be Tzipi Livni
, but not endorsed by Prime Minister
-designate Benjamin Netanyahu
, with whom she had earlier pledged the United States' cooperation.
The Obama administration has repeatedly pressured the Israeli government led by Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu
to freeze the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank
. "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements," the American president said in Cairo
in a June 4, 2009, speech to Muslims
. "This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop." In the same speech, Obama sharply rebuked Holocaust denial
, anti-Semitism
, and anti-Zionism
, saying of the Holocaust, "Six million Jews were killed - more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful." Obama added, "Threatening Israel with destruction - or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews - is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve."
n leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
from using violence to suppress popular demonstrations in his country, the Obama administration crucially backed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
to create a Libyan no-fly zone, with United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Susan Rice successfully pushing to include language allowing the UN mandate free rein to launch air attacks on Libyan ground targets threatening civilians.
In March 2011, Obama authorized the firing of 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in Libya, in response to regime actions against rebel forces, to enforce the UN no-fly zone. Controversy arose over whether Obama's use of military force without prior congressional approval was constitutional, with comments by Yale law professor Jack M. Balkin and Salon.com
columnist Glenn Greenwald
.
to Syria
in 2005, according to United States Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton
, the Obama administration is reconsidering its relations with the country, which the George W. Bush
administration repeatedly accused of sponsoring terrorism during its eight-year tenure. On March 3, 2009, Clinton said the U.S. would "soon" dispatch two envoys to Syria to feel out the situation. On February 16, 2010, President Obama nominated career diplomat
and former United States Ambassador to Algeria
Robert Ford to be the first United States Ambassador to Syria
since 2005.
President Obama sent Special Envoy for Middle East peace George Mitchell
on a 8-day tour of the Middle East starting on January 26, 2009 in which Mitchell met with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
and the Israeli army chief of staff Lt. General Gabi Ashkenaz to discuss the peace process along with other with stops in Egypt
, Saudi Arabia
, France
and Britain
where he met with various leaders.
Special Envoy for Middle East peace George Mitchell
after holding talks in Ramallah
with Palestinian President Abbas
who is leader of Fatah
which is at odds with Hamas
, stated "To be successful in preventing the illicit traffic of arms into Gaza there must be a mechanism to allow the flow of legal goods, and that should be with the participation of the Palestinian Authority." Obama has also stated that "lasting peace requires more than a long cease-fire, and that's why I will sustain an active commitment to seek two states living side by side in peace and security."
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
consists of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
Gaza
On February 2, 2009, President Obama signed a memorandum "directing more than $20 million for 'urgent refugee and migration needs" in Gaza." The 2008–2009 Israeli-Gaza Conflict last from December 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009 when unilateral cease-fires were issued by both the Israeli government and HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
. This cease-fire was shortly lived and sporadic fighting and attacks would continue to occur into the Obama administration. Israel completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
on January 21, 2009, one day after Obama was sworn in as President. $900 million was pledged from Hillary Clinton to help the rebuilding process in Gaza. This was criticized by Matthew Sinclair of the TaxPayers' Alliance
TaxPayers' Alliance
The TaxPayers' Alliance is a British pressure group and taxpayers union formed in 2004 to campaign for a low tax society. The group had about 18,000 registered supporters as of 2008, and claimed to have 55,000 by September 2010....
and Barbara Crook of the pro-Israel Palestinian Media Watch
Palestinian Media Watch
Palestinian Media Watch is an Israel-based media watchdog organization. Established by Itamar Marcus in 1996, PMW monitors Palestinian Arabic media and schoolbooks....
, who claim that the money will be used to promote terrorism and teach Palestinians to hate non-Muslims and oppose the existence of Israel.
On June 4, 2009, in a speech addressing Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, President Obama said, "Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed." He cited the African American civil rights movement, the Indonesian Revolution of 1998, and the negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa as historical examples of successful nonviolent uprisings to end social, racial, and political injustice and added, apparently in reference to several infamous terrorist attacks by Palestinian organizations
Palestinian political violence
Palestinian political violence refers to acts of violence undertaken to further the Palestinian cause. These political objectives include self-determination in and sovereignty over Palestine, the liberation of Palestine and establishment of a Palestinian state, either in place of both Israel and...
, "It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered." Reacting to the speech, Hamas senior adviser Ahmed Yousef
Ahmed Yousef
Ahmed Yousef is a senior adviser to Gaza's Prime Minister Ismail Haniya.-Bibliography:-References:...
expressed wary approval, telling the pan-Arab news network Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
, "The things he said about Islam and the Palestinian suffering and their right to have a state is great. It is a landmark and a breakthrough speech. But when it comes to legitimacy of the Israeli right to exist [there are issues]. He knows the Palestinians have to have their own state before recognizing another." "[A]ll we can say is that there is a difference in the statements [from those of former U.S. President George W. Bush], and the statements of today did not include a mechanism that can translate his wishes and views into actions," said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum.
Iran
Vice President Biden, in a speech given on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at the 2009 Munich ConferenceMunich Conference on Security Policy
The Munich Conference on Security Policy is an annual conference on international security policy that is held in the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany.The 47th Munich Security Conference will be held from February 4th through February 6th 2011....
outlined U.S. foreign policy towards Iran by saying that the U.S. is "willing to talk to Iran, and to offer a very clear choice: continue down your current course and there will be pressure and isolation; abandon your illicit nuclear program and support for terrorism and there will be meaningful incentives." He also referred to the Iranian people as "a great people" and the said that the "Persian civilization is a great civilization. But Iran has acted in ways that are not conducive to peace in the region or to the prosperity of its people; its illicit nuclear program is but one manifestation."
On February 7, 2009, while attending the Munich Conference, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
Ali Larijani
Ali Larijani
Ali Ardashir Larijani is an Iranian philosopher, politician and the chairman of the Iranian parliament. Larijani was the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from August 15, 2005 to October 20, 2007, appointed to the position by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,replacing Hassan Rowhani...
is reported by the Tehran Times
Tehran Times
Tehran Times began its work in 1979 as a foreign language newspaper to air the voice of the Islamic Revolution. The policy that the newspaper has been following has been based on the guideline set by the revered martyr Ayatollah Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who said: Tehran Times is not state-owned...
as saying “The West should understand that the Iranian people are not a second grade nation,”
On February 8, 2009, one day after Biden's speech at the Munich Conference, Larijani said "We are ready to talk without pre-conditions. But for that, we need a real starting point... If the Americans are really willing to resolve the problems, then they must present their concept." Larijani also provided a list of Iranian grievances against the United States including a U.S.-backed coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
in 1953, a decision to freeze Iranian assets following the 1979 Iranian revolution, support for Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during the Iran-Iraq war
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
in 1980–1988 referring to these as "the burnt bridges between Iran and America." He also referred to Obama's decision to send an envoy to the Middle East to "listen to people and not to dictate" as a "positive signal."
When asked, on February 9, 2009, whether Iran was open to direct discussion of its nuclear program with the United States, Larijani stated that "It depends on the circumstances and the benefits of having that conversation," and "We don't want to be taken advantage of. But we're not against constructive dialogue." Larijani also stated that "This is an exceptional opportunity for the Americans" adding that if the United States eased embargoes against Iran, it would be considered a positive step even though he believed "the window of opportunity is the narrowest possible, they could change their strategy."
Obama reaffirmed on February 9, 2009 that the United States was reviewing its policy towards Iran and that the administration was also looking for opportunities for "face to face" talks with Iran while Larijani called on the United States, on February 9, 2009, to present a clear proposal to Iran and stated that Iran doesn't "negotiate for the sake of negotiating" but would instead negotiate to reach a "definitive solution." He also said that Iran would need to believe that there was a "firm decision to solve the problems of the region" and that the United States was seeking a "strategic" and not a "tactical" change in its policy.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, on February 10, 2009, stated that Iran was open to direct talks with the United States going so far as to say "The Iranian nation is prepared to talk. However, these talks should be held in a fair atmosphere in which there is mutual respect." On February 11, 2009, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
Manouchehr Mottaki
Manouchehr Mottaki is an Iranian politician and diplomat. He was the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Whilst technically appointed by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he is considered to be closer to more pragmatic conservative factions and during the 2005 presidential election, he was the campaign...
said "If the American administration wants to keep up with the changes, this will be happy news" while Hassan Qashqavi, of the Foreign Ministry, said that Iran was "inclined to logic, talks and consideration" and that "We do not wish that Mr Obama misses the opportunity with us if he really is after bringing about serious changes in his policies," he said. "That is why we would not pre-empt him and make no prejudgement in this connection."
On March 1, 2009, Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
, said that U.S. officials believe Iran possesses enough highly enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon. He characterized the effect that Iran's nuclear armament would have on the region and world as "very, very bad". Defense Secretary
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
contradicted Mullen, however, saying, "They're not close to having a stockpile, they're not close to having a weapon at this point, and so there is some time" to attempt to avoid that outcome.
On March 5, 2009, Clinton attended the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. At this meeting, Clinton proposed including Iran at a conference on Afghanistan. Clinton said the proposed conference could be held on March 31 in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Obama reached out to the Iranian leaders and people in a speech in April 2009 when he released a video for the Iranian New Year, Nowruz
Nowruz
Nowrūz is the name of the Iranian New Year in Iranian calendars and the corresponding traditional celebrations. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the Persian New Year....
. In it he outlined his views about American-Iranian Relations and addressed several key issues including the nuclear ambitions of Iran
Iran and weapons of mass destruction
Iran is not known to currently possess weapons of mass destruction and has signed treaties repudiating the possession of weapons of mass destruction including the Biological Weapons Convention, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
and Iran's role in fighting terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
.
In a widely publicized speech addressing Muslims in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, on June 4, 2009, President Obama reached out to Iran, admitting that the U.S. "played a role" in the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
-era coup against the democratically elected Iranian government and saying, "There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect." He also affirmed his administration's position that Iran has the right to seek nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
, but warned that seeking nuclear weapons "could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path," adding that he supported nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
.
The 2009 Iranian presidential election
Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
was held on June 12, 2009. Candidates included Ahmadinejad, Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election...
, the former Prime Minister of Iran, and Mehdi Karroubi
Mehdi Karroubi
Mehdi Karroubi is an influential Iranian reformist politician, democracy activist, mojtahed, and chairman of the National Trust Party. He was Chairman of the parliament from 1989 to 1992 and 2000 to 2004, and a presidential candidate in the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections.He is a founding...
, a former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
. There are reports that the upcoming election had influenced deliberations about the "timing for potential Iran Talks." Following the 2009 Iranian election protests
2009 Iranian election protests
Protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election against the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and in support of opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi occurred in major cities in Iran and around the world starting June 13, 2009...
Obama said: "'In 2009 no iron fist is strong enough to shut off the world from bearing witness to the peaceful pursuit of justice. Despite the Iranian government's efforts to expel journalists and isolate itself, powerful images and poignant words have made their way to us through cell phones and computers, and so we have watched what the Iranian people are doing." He also noted that "'This is not about the United States and the West. This is about the people of Iran, and the future that they - and only they - will choose'" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8115232.stm
Obama signed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 on July, 1 2010 to expand sanctions on Iran
Iraq
In February 2009, President Obama named Christopher R. HillChristopher R. Hill
Christopher Robert Hill is an American diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq.On July 1, 2010, Hill was chosen to be the dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver...
as the incoming U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, replacing the previous Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
-appointee Ryan Crocker
Ryan Crocker
Ryan Clark Crocker is a Career Ambassador within the United States Foreign Service and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He currently is the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan. He was the United States Ambassador to Iraq until 2009; he previously served as the U.S...
, who had been in the post nearly two years. During the first few months Obama was Commander in Chief of the United States Military, it charged and convicted U.S. soldier Clifford Cornell of desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
, and sentenced him to one year in prison for refusing to participate in the Iraq War. The charge occurred February 23, 2009, (in Obama's second month), and the conviction occurred April 24, 2009.
On February 27, 2009, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is a United States military training facility in North Carolina. The base's of beaches make it a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports allows for fast deployments.The main base is supplemented by five satellite...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Obama announced a deadline for the withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq
Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq
The withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq has been a contentious issue within the United States since the beginning of the Iraq War. As the war has progressed from its initial 2003 invasion phase to a multi-year occupation, U.S. public opinion has turned in favor of troop withdrawal...
. According to the president, by August 31, 2010, after nearly seven and a half years of United States military engagement in Iraq, all but a "transitional force" of 35,000 to 50,000 troops will be withdrawn from the Middle Eastern nation. Obama defined the task of the transitional force as "training, equipping, and advising Iraqi Security Forces
Iraqi Security Forces
The Iraqi Armed Forces are the military forces of the Government of Iraq. They consist of the Iraqi Army, the Iraqi Air Force, and the Iraqi Navy....
as long as they remain non-sectarian; conducting targeted counter-terrorism missions; and protecting our ongoing civilian and military efforts within Iraq". Under this plan, the majority of troops will be withdrawn over a year before the deadline in the signed agreement between former President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Prime Minister of Iraq
Prime Minister of Iraq
The Prime Minister of Iraq is Iraq's head of government. Prime Minister was originally an appointed office, subsidiary to the head of state, and the nominal leader of the Iraqi parliament. Under the newly adopted constitution the Prime Minister is to be the country's active executive authority...
Nouri al-Maliki
Nouri al-Maliki
Nouri Kamil Mohammed Hasan al-Maliki , also known as Jawad al-Maliki or Abu Esraa, is the Prime Minister of Iraq and the secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party. Al-Maliki and his government succeeded the Iraqi Transitional Government. He is currently in his second term as Prime Minister...
. On August 31, 2010, Obama announced in his Oval Office address that the United States combat mission in Iraq was over.
Israel
Before and after the electionUnited States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
as President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, some Jews, including United States Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, questioned Obama's commitment to Israeli security. Obama maintained that he supports Israel and said he would continue the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alliance with Israel as president. The Democratic candidate ultimately carried the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, with its large Jewish population, in the general election, signaling that his efforts to assuage the concerns of Israeli partisans had been at least moderately successful.
In January 2009, then-President-elect
President-elect of the United States
President-elect of the United States is the title used for an incoming President of the United States in the period between the general election on Election Day in November and noon eastern standard time on Inauguration Day, January 20, during which he is not in office yet...
Obama expressed "concern" over heavy fighting
2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
The Gaza War, known as Operation Cast Lead in Israel and as the Gaza Massacre in the Arab world, was a three-week bombing and invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israel, and hundreds of rocket attacks on south of Israel which...
between Israel and Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
, but said he would leave it to the outgoing Bush administration to express the official U.S. position on the conflict. Obama was criticized by voices on both the left and the right for his reluctance to speak out about the Gazan conflict.
In March 2009, Obama appointee and ally Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
traveled as Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
to Israel. She warned that Israeli settlements and demolition of Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
homes in East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem
East Jerusalem or Eastern Jerusalem refer to the parts of Jerusalem captured and annexed by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and then captured and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War...
were "unhelpful" to the peace process. Clinton also voiced support for the establishment of a Palestinian state
State of Palestine
Palestine , officially declared as the State of Palestine , is a state that was proclaimed in exile in Algiers on 15 November 1988, when the Palestine Liberation Organization's National Council adopted the unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Independence...
—a solution supported by Israeli Foreign Minister and opposition leader-to-be Tzipi Livni
Tzipi Livni
Tzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...
, but not endorsed by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
-designate Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
, with whom she had earlier pledged the United States' cooperation.
The Obama administration has repeatedly pressured the Israeli government led by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
to freeze the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements," the American president said in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
in a June 4, 2009, speech to Muslims
A New Beginning
"A New Beginning" is the name of a speech delivered by United States President Barack Obama on June 4, 2009, from the Major Reception Hall at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt. Al-Azhar University co-hosted the event...
. "This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop." In the same speech, Obama sharply rebuked Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
, anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
, and anti-Zionism
Anti-Zionism
Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionistic views or opposition to the state of Israel. The term is used to describe various religious, moral and political points of view in opposition to these, but their diversity of motivation and expression is sufficiently different that "anti-Zionism" cannot be...
, saying of the Holocaust, "Six million Jews were killed - more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful." Obama added, "Threatening Israel with destruction - or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews - is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve."
Libya
After initial skepticism of international involvement to prevent LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
from using violence to suppress popular demonstrations in his country, the Obama administration crucially backed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
to create a Libyan no-fly zone, with United States Ambassador to the United Nations
United States Ambassador to the United Nations
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador...
Susan Rice successfully pushing to include language allowing the UN mandate free rein to launch air attacks on Libyan ground targets threatening civilians.
In March 2011, Obama authorized the firing of 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in Libya, in response to regime actions against rebel forces, to enforce the UN no-fly zone. Controversy arose over whether Obama's use of military force without prior congressional approval was constitutional, with comments by Yale law professor Jack M. Balkin and Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
columnist Glenn Greenwald
Glenn Greenwald
Glenn Greenwald is an American lawyer, columnist, blogger, and author. Greenwald worked as a constitutional and civil rights litigator before becoming a contributor to Salon.com, where he focuses on political and legal topics...
.
Syria
Although the U.S. recalled its ambassadorUnited States Ambassador to Syria
The United States Ambassador to Syria is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Syria.From the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire in 1922 until 1944, Syria had been under the control of France as a part of the League of Nations French Mandate of...
to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
in 2005, according to United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
, the Obama administration is reconsidering its relations with the country, which the George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
administration repeatedly accused of sponsoring terrorism during its eight-year tenure. On March 3, 2009, Clinton said the U.S. would "soon" dispatch two envoys to Syria to feel out the situation. On February 16, 2010, President Obama nominated career diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and former United States Ambassador to Algeria
United States Ambassador to Algeria
The Ambassador of the United States to Algeria is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Algeria....
Robert Ford to be the first United States Ambassador to Syria
United States Ambassador to Syria
The United States Ambassador to Syria is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Syria.From the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire in 1922 until 1944, Syria had been under the control of France as a part of the League of Nations French Mandate of...
since 2005.
President Obama sent Special Envoy for Middle East peace George Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
on a 8-day tour of the Middle East starting on January 26, 2009 in which Mitchell met with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003....
and the Israeli army chief of staff Lt. General Gabi Ashkenaz to discuss the peace process along with other with stops in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where he met with various leaders.
Special Envoy for Middle East peace George Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
after holding talks in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
with Palestinian President Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
who is leader of Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
which is at odds with Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
, stated "To be successful in preventing the illicit traffic of arms into Gaza there must be a mechanism to allow the flow of legal goods, and that should be with the participation of the Palestinian Authority." Obama has also stated that "lasting peace requires more than a long cease-fire, and that's why I will sustain an active commitment to seek two states living side by side in peace and security."