Comment on The Belmont Club,"Dear Obama, from Beirut"

Just heard Obama's speech. Two things stand out.
1) The condemnation of nuclear arms will be taken as a call for Israel to disarm. He spoke to two audiences both of whom are trained to hear what they want.

The local Muslim audience will interpret talk of nuclear disarmament as referring to Israel and the citations of Jewish law or morals as in fact justifying Islamic supremacism. Islam is founded on the idea that the Jews are "hypocrites" who have failed to abide by their own Commandments. They will also consider the promised wealth and technology transfers and visas as tribute from Dar al Harb to Dar al Islam.

The external audience will swallow the expectation that he was being brave in justifying Western concepts to the Muslim audience. It was designed to pacify skeptics who are afraid of the Jihad. This was a call for Appeasement.

2) His use of the Golden Rule, that is common, with interesting variations in stress, to Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism, obscures the fact that the Koran does not share the same sentiment regarding Unbelievers.