R 220406Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1010
INFO NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SANAA 000119 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPAO YM
SUBJECT: YEMENIS APPLAUD OBAMA, HOPE FOR 'NEW PAGE' in US-ARAB 
RELATIONS 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  As expected, the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of 
the United States garnered positive reaction from the Yemeni public. 
 Yemeni op-eds published on January 21 uniformly gave positive marks 
to Obama's speech and generally had a positive outlook for his 
administration.  Yemeni attendees at the Embassy-sponsored 
Inauguration Watch reception applauded several times through the 
President's speech, with at least a couple of guests shedding tears 
of joy.  Yemeni expectations of changes in U.S. foreign policy 
remain low, however most agree that the image of the United States 
can only improve under an Obama administration.  End Summary. 
 
'ISLAM IS A PART OF AMERICA' 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  The top story for all of the Yemeni press for January 21 was the 
inauguration of President Barack Obama.  While the official press 
delivered matter-of-fact coverage of the events, including 
reprinting an Arabic translation of the inaugural address, the 
independent Yemeni press provided analysis of President Obama's 
remarks and speculated what his presidency could mean for the Arab 
world.  Munir Al-Mawri, the noted Yemeni-American columnist based in 
Washington D.C., pointed out that President Obama had made a clear 
distinction in his speech, differentiating between Arabs and Muslims 
on one hand and "killers and terrorists" on the other.  Al-Mawri saw 
Obama's words of warning to would-be terrorists as "aimed directly 
at the killers and criminals, not at any one people or peoples, or 
even to one country."  Al-Mawri lauded Obama for his reminder to the 
Muslim world that "that Islam is a part of America, and the enmity 
he holds is for murders and criminals, regardless of their religion, 
creed, or color, and not Islam."  Al-Mawri also noted that Obama 
used the word "terrorism" only a single time in his speech. 
 
¶3.  Al-Mawri also praised Obama for introducing the term 
"understanding between nations" into American political discourse, 
placing it in juxtaposition to the "clash of civilizations" that he 
says marked the last administration.  "It appears that Barack Obama 
intended this new term for the Arabs and Muslims, even if he didn't 
mention them by name, because he followed it up with, 'We will begin 
to leave Iraq for the Iraqi people, and to deepen the peace in 
Afghanistan in cooperation with our leading allies' just as he 
stressed that America would not apologize for its lifestyle and 
indicated that he would defend American values and in return would 
not interfere in the affairs of others." 
 
¶4.  Another independent journalist writing for NewsYemen.net, Yasser 
Hassan Thamer, offered insight as to how Obama's impact could be 
immediately felt.  Thamer opined that currently, "the US is 
suffering from a strategic defeat, a broken imperial plan, an 
economic crisis that cannot be ignored."  If the United States had 
changed course abruptly under the Bush administration, Thamer 
offered that "the world would say, 'This is an American admission of 
its defeat and dissolution!'  This is what is in store for America's 
future and others will become more daring, especially the powers and 
peoples rising up against it.  However, if someone named Barack 
Hussein Obama comes, Black with Islamic roots, carrying American 
traditional values, this will make it possible to say that any 
change he makes is due to moral reasons or Obama's own personal 
values.  In this there is no American defeat....Thus, the changes 
will appear as if they occurred for moral reasons, assuaging the 
feelings of the others who do not trust America or those who wish to 
see America defeated and dissolved." 
 
¶5.  Thamer continued to offer his insight on how America's image 
would be changed through the election of an African-American 
president.  For Thamer, "the election of a Black president for the 
first time in a country with a bad reputation like America will make 
it necessary for the rest of the world to deal with America in new 
ways.  There is a new, different form for America, vital, that can 
be an example the whole world can respect - just as a president with 
Islamic roots will ease American's conviction in its war on terror. 
This will be reflected in the feelings of Muslims, that they are 
with a president that is more able to have an understanding of a 
number of issues without being arrogant or conceited, which serves 
American goals in the Islamic world." 
 
THIS IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN YEMENIS CRY 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  The Embassy hosted approximately 50 Yemeni VIPs from all sectors 
at the Ambassador's residence the evening of January 20 to watch the 
broadcast of the Inauguration.  Guests enjoyed watching the visuals 
of the large turnout on the National Mall and asked many questions 
about the traditions associated with presidential inaugurations. 
Once the oath of office was administered and President Obama began 
his address, the guests fell silent and followed his words 
carefully.  There were several points of applause from the Yemeni 
guests, most notably at Obama's mention of Islam being a part of the 
American identity and when he pledged a more inclusive mode of 
foreign relations. Ruling General People's Conference party (GPC) MP 
Nabil Basha told emboff that "this is a great day not just for 
Democrats, but for democracy."  Opposition MP Shawki Shamsan added 
that "Obama will be a good president for America and for the world." 
 Even before the conclusion of President Obama's remarks, Yemeni 
guests began receiving text messages from friends and/or news 
services, highlighting in particular the portions directed to the 
Islamic world and to poor nations. 
 
SECHE