JORDAN: MOSTLY POSITIVE REACTION TO PRESIDENT

UNCLAS AMMAN 001261 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL IS JO SUBJECT: JORDAN: MOSTLY POSITIVE REACTION TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH AMONG ACADEMIA, STUDENTS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY ¶1. (U) Post held a viewing of President Obama's speech for approximately thirty students, academia, and civil society at the American Language Center. The speech was followed by a discussion. During the speech, the audience showed very little reaction, except when the Koran was quoted, which was met with wide approval. Overall, the audience generally held a positive opinion of the speech though reaction was mixed on several key points of the speech. When asked to rate the speech on a scale of 1 to 7, the majority rated it a 5 or 6 with a few 4s. ¶2. (U) On the whole, the audience had a favorable opinion of the speech. A recurring message among the audience was praise for Obama's use of the Koran. The audience felt it showed keen respect and understanding of the Muslim faith and that the Koranic reference strengthened key arguments. One member of civil society even jokingly stated that, "Obama must have received help from the Saudi King during his visit." The audience also reacted well to Obama's stand for women's rights and calls for greater exchanges and mutual cooperation. ¶3. (U) Negative reaction primarily centered around Israel and Palestine with some wanting more specific policy points on key issues. Some attendees believed that Obama's speech was biased towards Israel and did not give a balanced account of the situation. For instance, a couple students noted that Obama mentioned the holocaust but not violations documented by human rights organizations during the Gaza crisis, including the use of white phosphorous. A member of civil society, however, pointed out that the unbalance was a result of Obama "needing to send Iran a message not to mess with Israel, especially ahead of Iranian elections." The lack of details was questioned by some in the audience, including the desire to hear specific actions to solve the Palestinian issue and a clearer definition of terrorism. A couple students remarked that Obama did not clearly articulate who or what he meant when talking about terrorism and terrorists. At times, the students felt Obama was talking about Palestinians generally instead of certain organizations or tactics. On Iraq, there were questions whether Obama's tone changed from his election speeches and whether the timeline for withdrawal has lengthened. Comment -------------- ¶4. (U) Comment: Despite some negative reaction to parts of the speech, the audience recognized that there are limitations to what can be covered in one speech and felt the speech was a good first step in strengthening relations and working together to solve common problems. One student summarized this view by stating, "it was an excellent speech... we just need to give Obama a chance." They now wait to hear more details on the points made and to see what specific actions will follow. End Comment. Visit Amman's Classified Website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman Beecroft