Sunjeev Bery

Tag: Barack Obama

  • Read the Letter: What We Want President Obama to Do in Saudi Arabia this Friday

    This Friday, President Obama will travel to Saudi Arabia, a country whose government is highly repressive.   But instead of raising human rights, Obama’s trip has been described by The New York Times as focused on “fence-mending.” This is the wrong approach. As we say in our Amnesty International letter to President Obama: For too…

  • CNN’s Navarrette gets Iran wrong

    The Huffington Post Posted: June 22, 2009 By Sanjeev Bery   CNN.com columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. is the latest to join the chorus of voices calling on President Obama to get tougher with the Iranian government. While tempting, the CNN commentator’s words fail to consider the legacy of 25 years of U.S. intervention against Iranian…

  • “Israeli Media Reads the Fine Print”

    The Huffington Post 06/06/09 by Sanjeev Bery In the 48 hours since President Obama’s speech in Cairo, Israeli journalists and pundits have had a lot to say. Their comments offer insights into U.S. foreign policy that many American observers might not get at home. Some were particularly struck by Obama’s implicit linkage of Palestinian aspirations…

  • Obama on Israel and Palestine

    U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo is worth watching and worth reading.  Perhaps the best place to do both is at The New York Times website, where you can search the transcripts by keyword and simultaneously watch/read the sections you want. I have excerpted Obama’s words on Israel and Palestine below.  But first, a…

  • U.S. soldiers on Afghan troops

    The Guardian (UK) has done a video report on how U.S. soldiers feel about the Afghan soldiers they are tasked with building into an army.  The piece hints at a broader reality:  it is a bit difficult to build a national military on another nation’s behalf. Interesting excerpts: Supervising Afghan soldier to reporter (translated): This…

  • Building (good) government

    The Obama Administration has nominated a major microfinance leader to serve as U.S. Under Secretary of Global Affairs in the State Department.  It’s a great example of how to bring people into the U.S. foreign policy establishment who have a direct understanding of strategies for international poverty alleviation. Read on for the full press release…

  • Chris Matthews, Cold Warrior

    Amidst all the buzz around new U.S.-Cuba relations, Chris Matthews found a way to sound the old Cold War alarm.  Avoiding the messy details of real history, Mr. Matthews criticized President Obama’s call for a new U.S.-Cuba relationship: Well, I just am not a Castro fan. You know, he [Castro] bought the wrong ticket. He…

  • Obama’s holiday message to Iranians

    U.S. President Barack Obama released the video greetings below to the Iranian government and people. The Nowruz holiday greetings are a rare opportunity to hear an American leader praising the culture and accomplishments of Iranian society.  More than 50 years after the U.S. overthrew Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, this is a  hopeful sign that…

  • Full text: Obama’s interview with Al-Arabiya

    Hisham Melhem’s interview with President Obama on Al Arabiya TV: Tuesday, 27 January 2009 President gives first interview since taking office to Arab TV AlArabiya.net Q: Mr. President, thank you for this opportunity, we really appreciate it. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much…. TRANSCRIPT  

  • Video: Obama’s interview with Al-Arabiya

    Hisham Melhem’s interview with President Obama on Al Arabiya TV: Tuesday, 27 January 2009 President gives first interview since taking office to Arab TV AlArabiya.net Video part 1:  Video part 2: