Even as he touted domestic accomplishments, President Barack Obama was preparing to pivot toward foreign affairs, ahead of a key visitor from the Middle East, new threats from North Korea and his own address to the Muslim world.
Since taking office, Obama’s focus has repeatedly shifted between escalating demands at home and abroad. The still-struggling economy and his newest Supreme Court nominee compete for his attention with the Middle East, two wars, and nuclear-armed Iran and North Korea.
Obama today hosts Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House, as part of his ongoing effort to jump-start the stalled Middle East peace process. Next week he will visit Saudi Arabia, on the eve of a much-anticipated speech in Egypt.
On the agenda with King Abdullah are Middle East peace, Iran and terrorism, according to the White House.
The president will have no public events in Riyadh, a stop that was a late addition to an overseas trip that also will take him to Germany and France for D-Day commemorations.
The centerpiece of his travels, however, is expected to be the speech in a Muslim country — Egypt — that he promised on the campaign trail, as part of a broader program to improve America’s standing with Muslims.
Obama previewed his themes at a speech last month in Turkey, where he declared the United States “is not at war with Islam” and discussed shared goals of opposing extremism. His speech in Cairo is set for June 3.
“This will be a broader speech about our relationship with Muslims around the world,” said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. “I know there’s been some conjecture that included in this speech will be some detailed, comprehensive Mideast peace plan. And that is not the intention nor was it ever the intention of this speech.”
In addition to reaching out to Muslims and brokering a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians, Obama is trying to manage wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, shore up democracy in Pakistan and neutralize the threat of Iran’s nuclear program.
Jim Phillips, a Heritage Foundation expert on the Middle East, speculated that the timing of Obama’s announcement Tuesday of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was aimed at getting North Korea’s recent nuclear launch off the front page.
“I would argue that the administration should focus on the most urgent issue right now, which is Iran,” Phillips said. “Saudi Arabia could play a helpful role there, more than it would regarding the Middle East peace effort.”
After meeting with Obama last month, King Abdullah of Jordan said the United States is working on a plan to gain the support of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference on a revamped peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians.
