Obama's commitment to human rights 'rings hollow,' says UK journalist http://www.irna.ir/ENNewsShow.aspx?NID=30394403

President Barack Obama's speech on the Middle East was a belated and selective response to extraordinary events over which the US has so far had little influence, according to British journalist and broadcaster Yvonne Ridley.“America has been very much on the sidelines as a spectator trying to keep up with the development of the Arab Spring and for Obama to take this long to comment reveals this,” Ridley said. “The US has to restore trust in the international community and it is still suffering from the legacy of the lies created to justify the war in Iraq,” she said. 

In his long-awaited speech, the US president lavished praise on the rise of spirit of people power throughout the Arab world but strikingly omitted any reference to Saudi Arabia and offered no hope for the Palestinian people by reiterating the 'unshakeable' US commitment to Israel's security. Speaking in an interview with IRNA, Ridley was sceptical about the sincerity of Obama's ringing declaration of support for democratic reforms in the Middle East and North Africa. 

“The US President is like a child in a sweet store; his speech was very selective and his references towards human rights rang hollow with regards America's close allies in Saudi and neighbouring Bahrain,” she said.“Human rights is for all and it is not a Pick 'n' Mix. if he is standing with the people in terms of democracy he needs to make it clear that he wants to see this democracy unfold across the region including Saudi and Bahrain.” The British journalist dismissed the president's claim that Washington had learnt lessons from the cost of enforcing regime change in Iraq,

saying the US is like most other countries and is interested in “only what serves US interests.” “Make no mistake America has lost some useful puppets in Ben Ali and Mubarak and will be seeking to replace them in one way or another. America really doesn't care about human rights - outside of the US and inside when you look at the abuses of treatment of the prison population there,” she said. 

Ridley, who extensively travels through the Middle East, described Obama's renewed commitment to prioritise the Middle East peace process as “weasel words” from a White House President that are “meaningless.”“The only way to bring about change in the Middle East is through people power. The politicians have delivered nothing in seven decades, absolutely nothing and there were some US presidents who were far more committed to the peace process than Obama,” she said. 

“Actions from the Arab masses speak volumes and they will bring about more positive change for the Palestinians. And the unity between Fatah and Hamas is also a classic example of Palestinians taking the initiative.” The US president's speech on Thursday was billed as opening a 'new chapter in American diplomacy, but Ridley saw little signs of any real change. “This was largely a speech aimed at the domestic market - don't forget Obama is fighting to become a second term president and he needs to improve on his statesmanlike image which had a recent bolster with American voters from the Osama bin Laden saga,” she said.