A visit by an American president to another country has a tendency to whip up numerous passions in the local press. Many times these passions involve comparisons between the United States and the country in question. In the run-up to President Obama’s planned address to the Islamic world from Cairo on June 4, this is an especially rich time to capture some of these comparisons in Egypt, which is widely regarded as the intellectual heart of the Muslim world.
This article from Egypt’s Al-Araby is a perfect example. In an effort to demonstrate the decrepit state of the Egyptian political system, Muhammad Hammad lampoons Egyptian President Hosni Mubarack for ‘outlasting’ five U.S. presidents during his ‘reign’ – and for trying to pass off the leadership to one of his sons.
For Al-Araby, Muhammad Hammad writes in part:
“It might come as a shock to contemplate that Barack Obama is the fifth U.S. president during President Hosni Mubarak’s reign, which spans from 1981 to today. And perhaps you’ll be surprised to know that at the very moment that the two presidents’ hands intertwine on the steps of the White House, President Mubarak will have ‘outlasted’ four U.S. heads of state. They are alive, all won at the ballot box, all left at the end of their presidential terms – and none altered the U.S. Constitution to lengthen their terms nor stayed on to accommodate the whims of his sons!”
“In the past 28 years and a hundred days, the world has known five U.S. presidents, four British prime ministers; three French presidents; and Israel went from its 18th to its 30th government. But during this entire period, the world has known only a single Egyptian president!!”
By Muhammad Hammad
Translated By Nicolas Dagher
May 19, 2009
Egypt – Al Araby – Original Article (Arabic)
I have no doubt that President Husni Mubarak is eager to meet President Barack Obama on his upcoming visit to the United States. I have no doubt that the President’s briefcase will contain documents on a number of issues that he wishes to discuss with the new resident of the White House. I’m not stating the unknown when I say that the president [Mubarak] is busy preparing his paperwork to submit to his American counterpart.
Let us leave the president to his preoccupations. I find myself more in thrall with contemplating the number of U.S. presidents blessed by meeting President Mubarak since he took the helm of the presidency at the service of the Egyptian state. As everyone knows, this is a very important post.
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