Christian Brose mostly gave Obama's speech high marks. However:
I can't help but feel frustrated that I've been watching Obama closely for more than two years now, and after an hour-long speech in Cairo today, I still don't have a clear read of which way he'll come down on the looming hard decisions for which there is no middle ground, try as he may to carve some out. He talked about violent extremist groups and democratic elections. Well, Hezbollah is about to win one (partly) in a few days. Then what?
For more on Sunday's election in Lebanon, check out this article in the National about Hezbollah's political allies, in particular, the Free Patriotic Movement, a group that leads Lebanon's Christian population:
If the opposition prevails on June 7, headlines around the world will read “HIZBOLLAH WINS” even though the Shiite party is likely to hold no more seats in parliament than the dozen or so that it occupies today. It will, in fact, be the gains of the Free Patriotic Movement – and the affiliated parties of its Change and Reform Bloc – that will push the opposition into the majority, giving Aoun and his allies control of the largest block of seats in parliament.
