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President Obama reached out to Muslims worldwide in his Cairo speech last Thursday in an attempt to bridge the gap between Middle Eastern states and America. He emphasized shared experiences and addressed current issues. The diplomatic power of his speech was undeniable, but will American foreign policy follow?

In his remarks, Obama reiterated past promises "to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all of our troops from Iraq by 2012." We would like to see all of the troops come home immediately, not just those categorized as "combat" troops.

Although President Obama claimed that the U.S. will not pursue any permanent military bases in Afghanistan, it was clear that he plans on continuing the occupation, as he deemed the invasion a "necessity." This is unacceptable! We must demand an end to air strikes, which injure and kill innocent civilians and fuel the anti-American rhetoric of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. We must have an exit strategy for U.S. troops and combat the ideals of the Taliban and al-Qaeda through increased humanitarian and development aid.

On the topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, President Obama made great strides by acknowledging the suffering of the Palestinian people. His use of strong language towards Israel was unprecedented by any U.S. administration. He called on Israel to acknowledge a Palestinian state and freeze settlements. However, there is no indication that Obama is willing to coerce Israel through changed U.S. policy. This point was reiterated when Obama described the U.S.-Israeli relationship as "unbreakable."

Obama's speech in Cairo demonstrated a new and positive attitude towards the Middle East. But at Peace Action of New York State, we believe actions speak louder than words. Please help us create a committed network of local grassroots activists who can effectively demand policy change from the new administration. The best way to help Obama generate the change we want to see in American foreign policy is to organize. In your five minutes for peace this week, join your local peace group. If there isn't a chapter in your neighborhood, please join Peace Action of New York State. Let's hold our President to his promises!

In Peace,

Susanne Erni, Intern
Peace Action of New York State
info@panys.org
646-723-1749