Decoding the President: what Obama's words really mean

Patrick Cockburn analyses the highlights of the much-anticipated – and carefully constructed – Cairo speech

Islam and Obama's Muslim heritage

President Obama: "I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims."

Patrick Cockburn: It is obviously in President Obama's interest to emphasise his diverse and partly Muslim ancestry. But what he says here carries the message that he is as different from George W Bush as it is possible to be. Remember also that Mr Obama's speech is partly an address to the American public, seeking to maximise support for policies such as withdrawal from Iraq and opposition to Israeli settlements on the West Bank.

Afghanistan/Pakistan

Obama: "Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We seek no military bases there. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can."

Cockburn: This suggests that Mr Obama does not quite know what to do in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He says he would like to withdraw US troops but, in practice, he is more than doubling their number to 62,000. He does not spell out a policy here, other than to assert that the US cannot afford to lose.

Iraq

Obama: "I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honour our agreement with Iraq's democratically elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all our troops from Iraq by 2012."

Cockburn: This is one of the most concrete and important parts of the speech. It spells out that the US is leaving Iraq entirely and there will be no bases left behind. This is significant because US generals and commentators have periodically suggested some troops will remain behind into 2012. He goes out of his way to emphasise that the timetable he has laid out will be adhered to. This is key because it was the invasion of Iraq in 2003 more than anything else that provoked unprecedented hostility to the US in the Muslim world.

Palestinians

Obama: "For more than 60 years, they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza and neighbouring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations – large and small – that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own."

Cockburn: This is stronger stuff than American presidents have said before, though Palestinians will find "dislocation" is an offensively tame word to describe how they were driven from their homeland. But they will be pleased to see their situation described as "intolerable".

Israel's illegal settlements

Obama: "The US does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements... It is time for these settlements to stop. Israel must also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live and work and develop their society. Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be part of a road to peace, and Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress."

Cockburn: The condemnation of settlements appears to put Mr Obama on a direct collision course with the Israeli government. Israel holds that what is happening is the natural growth of existing settlements. Nobody else accepts this, but Israel may feel that there are enough settlers in the West Bank to prevent any Palestinian state being created.

Search for peace

Obama: "For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive... but... the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security. That is why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all the patience that the task requires."

Cockburn: The most important sentence here is the last one. Mr Obama is intentionally giving a hostage to fortune which he will not be allowed to forget.

Iran

Obama: "In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage-taking and violence against US troops and civilians. This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward. The question, now, is not what Iran is against, but rather what future it wants to build."

Cockburn: Obama's administration does not quite know what to do about Iran and its nuclear programme, but wants to lower the political temperature. This is in sharp contrast to President George W Bush. Mr Obama also probably does not want to give political ammunition to anti-American radicals in the Iranian presidential election.

Democracy

Obama: "I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq... America does not presume to know what is best for everyone... But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose."

Cockburn: It is difficult for Mr Obama to be more specific because it is the Arab autocracies which have been America's closest allies in the Middle East after Israel.

Women's rights

Obama: "I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. Now let me be clear: issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, we have seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead "

Cockburn: Interesting that Mr Obama should have given this such a high profile, but it will be popular. And his remarks refer to some of the most heavily populated Muslim countries, whose traditions are different from the Arab world and Iran.

Twitterati: The reaction

I've been following the speech for days now. Time to stop obsessing over what US can do for us, and work on what we can do for ourselves.

Kawthar Muhaib

Obama's words: genuine and thoughtful. A much-needed change in tone regarding East and West.

Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan

The reference to "those living in the past" annoyed me. It's the present injustice that is enraging many here.

Wael Khalil Cairo, Egypt

Talking too much about religion, dude... religion is the opium of ppl... u've learned that lesson too.

Dona, 'somewhere in the Arab world'

Such a stupid audience! They clap whenever he makes Islamic references as if that is what is really important!

Nadia El-Awady Cairo, Egypt

To all people inside Cairo University, Obama is not Hosni Mubarak, you don't have to clap on each sentence!

Muhammad Basheer, Qatar