As the speech begins, African Twitter users are having fun translating Obama's trademark phrase, “Yes We Can” into different African languages. From Kenya, afromusing starts the trend with Swahili:

dnashong, originally from Ghana, shares more ways to say we can:

kaysha remarks upon Africa's need for a figure like Obama:

dnashong responds:

He then corrects himself to say “you know I should've said Africa's new leaders. I mean US!”

Malagasy lrakoto admits his excitement for Obama's reactions:

Although it goes without saying that non-U.S. citizens have a number of reasons for their interest in the U.S. elections, Trinidadian nplaughlin puts it best when he says:

Bahraini amiraalhussaini quips:

Finally, Nigerian kuikihoro seems disappointed that Obama's speech ended so quickly:

Since 9/11 her life and the lives of many innocent Arabs, Muslims, Afghans and Pakistanis within the USA changed for the worse, when the USA began shamelessly discriminating, arresting, and even torturing innocent civilians under the false premise of “national security.” Innocent people were undergoing severe torture simply for being “suspects” of terrorism.

According to a BBC article from earlier this month:

Research at the time refused to turn up anything on the status of Aafia Siddiqui - she was not listed as wanted by any federal or Pakistani agency.

At that point, it seemed she had vanished off the face of the earth.

Siddiqui comes from a very well established and educated family, and from what I have been reading, she is seemingly open minded. She even wanted her children to be raised and educated in the USA, which led to disputes with her husband, also a Pakistani who was arrested and questioned by the FBI for buying goggles and some military manuals. Here is her familial background:

Her brother is an architect based in Houston, while Fauzia [her sister] is a neurologist who used to work at Mount Sinai hospital in New York.

Aafia Siddiqui went to school in Karachi and graduated with a biology degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

Keep in mind that the claims below are nothing but that; baseless claims, and has yet to be evidenced by something other than FBI gossip. Comments within brackets are my own:

In 2004 then-FBI director Robert Mueller announced at a press conference that Aafia Siddiqui was wanted for questioning.

She was later named as part of an alleged al-Qaeda diamond smuggling operation in Liberia. [Because an established neurologist with an MIT degree and three children has enough free time on her hands to organize terrorist movements in Liberia.] Publications such as Newsweek quoted the FBI as saying this was to finance al-Qaeda’s biological and chemical weapons programme.

After that, her name remained on the list of disappeared - until she surfaced last month in Afghanistan in US military custody.

[…]

“It is always believed one is innocent until proven guilty, not the other way round,” her sister, Fauzia, told reporters in Karachi on Tuesday.

She added that every time she had met US officials, they had said they had never formally accused Aafia Siddiqui of being a terrorist [but arrested and tortured her anyways!]

The article concludes with what is pretty much her only crime:

The answer may lie in her relationship with the family of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Aafia Siddiqui is said to have married Ali Abd’al Aziz Ali, one of his nephews following her divorce. Although her family denies this, the BBC has been able to confirm it from security sources and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s family.

It is an open secret in Karachi, that any member of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s family deemed to be “a 1% threat to US security” is in American custody.

That may be the only “crime” that Aafia Siddiqui has committed.

No evidence of anything else but a romantic link. No record of terrorism or abuse. No proof of her “terrorist activities” whatsoever. She is from an educated family, she has never harmed the USA, she has never committed a crime, and her only supposed link to “terrorism” is her marriage to a “nephew” of whom the USA considers to be a terrorist.

Shame on the U.S government, and to all U.S officials who knew about the injustice of this but remained silent.

This is one of MANY hypocracies when it comes to the USA preaching “democracy and human rights” to countries like Pakistan and the greater Muslim world, especially under this disgusting administration which has ruined and ended the lives of millions of innocent people.

Free Aafia Siddiqui right now, and all your other innocent “suspects.”

For some reason I cannot believe that we are still condemning this and demanding that Gitmo gets shut down. The U.S government doesn’t respect this international outcry and its own laws. And because of that, here we go again:

Omar Khadr is a 21 year old Canadian citizen who was only 15 years old when he was arrested by the U.S military in eastern Afghanistan for supposedly killing a U.S medic. What child would do that? A troubled child who should not be left to rot in a torturous illegal prison. Normally, he should have been regarded as a child combatant, recognized as a victim. This is a young boy who grew up in an extremist family and was caught in urban warfare, which should lead us into thinking that he is in need of serious psychological help due to the trauma that he must have suffered throughout his childhood. Is that the concern of the U.S military? No. Why? He’s not American. The American government should not be left to do what it wishes to citizens of other countries. He should be sent to his native Canada to face Canadian justice. Frankly he is the responsibility of the Canadian government and should be dealt with there and not in the hands of the U.S military.

A video of Khadr’s interrogation has recently been released by his lawyers after a lengthy legal struggle. He was 16 at the time the video was shot.

If any other organization was doing what the U.S government is doing today, people would have declared it a terrorist organization working in what is beyond illegal by international law. But again, there is no equal treament today of such things. If America commits the crimes, they get away with it. Anyone else is a terrorist.

There are many innocent prisoners suffering without them having any form of outside interaction or legal rights, thus the horror stories we hear today of the grave crimes committed by the hypocritical U.S government are just a few of thousands. Remember Sami, Al Jazeera’s Sudanese cameraman, who was abused and imprisoned for 5 years at Guantanamo? I did not hear a public apology, or any activism in America on his behalf, especially considering the fact that he was never charged with anything but being a mere “suspect.” The guy was just doing his job when he was brutally arrested and left to suffer in a disgusting prison cell. For years no one cared. Had this kidnapping and abusive imprisonment been committed by a terrorist organization like Al Qaeda, we would be reminded of it every split second. But it was America who committed this crime, and it was an Arab Muslim who was being abused, so no one cared.

Dear U.S government, do not preach human rights to us, until you take care of your own human rights abuses. Release Omar Khadr from your illegal terrorist operation and allow him to face Canadian law and be allowed a fair trial and sufficient access to him by his lawyers. Otherwise, to us, you will forever be the terrorists that you love to complain about and you will forever inspire extremism against you.

Here at MEY we consistently condemn human rights abuses by our governments or any extremist elements within our society. The U.S government is no exception. A crime is a crime, regardless of your rank or worldwide reputation.

Fix this despicable crime.

I've talked to friends in the States, who are for Obama, but feel he doesn't stand a chance up against McCain. One friend said that she read some poll months ago saying that 70% of Americans didn't believe in evolution… therefore, how would/could these ppl vote for a black president.

If Clinton gets on the ticket w/ him… will this give him a better chance?? I think so.

I personally believe he stands a chance against McCain. I believe and always have that Americans are ready for a change. Even back in the beginning when so many were saying that he's too fresh and doesn't have the experience.. I still knew he was gonna win it. The Democratic nomination… that is.

Now he practically has… only a few more days until it's really official and then it's time to start the big race for the White House. McCain has already started attacking him… actually started that months back - for he knows that he has a tough race if he goes up against him - so… what does that say? Does it mean that McCain feels like he can't win? Does it mean that he's stupid and thinks that these attacks will actually have some affect on the voters? Does he really think that anyone gives a rat's *^@! about what he thinks?!!! :)

I know there are those that are die hard McCain backers…. no matter who's running, they'll vote Republican for THEY ARE REPUBLICAN. I used to work w/ a guy that was like this… always trying to change my mind and trying to talk me into becoming a Republican - in those days I was very much a Liberal or would vote for the person who I thought would turn the White House around… and even voted for Ross Perot (if you can believe it)… believing he could definitely change America - but many didn't have the same opinion as I and his light quickly fizzled…

but anyhoo… here we are again… it's VOTING TIME and the stakes are super high this time. It'll be a first for many reasons… a first IF Obama wins and a first if Hillary runs w/ him in that she'll be the first female Vice President. I think she'd make a great Vice President… so here's to hoping it'll work out this way.

I just hope that these crazy radicals don't come out in forces and try to assassinate him either while he's running or if he wins. There are some out there that are crazy, crazy racist in the States and I could see it…..

I don’t particularly care for Hilary as I do not have a shred of respect for Bush - both of them - as they both have stumbled into their position, the Bushes that is, yet, they were chosen by their people; hence, I have no qualms at all with that process.

Although I believe that Hilary would actually be better for the Middle East than Barack would - simply because I have a feeling that he would be “more royal than the king” in that he will have to go over-the-top in proving that he is distant from our culture and religion - I am opposed to Hilary taking the mantle because she would create a hereditary relationship so far absent from the United States but much prevalent on our shores. Bush - Clinton - Bush - Clinton will not be a good precedence for the nation which should be emulated for their respect of their citizens and which their enemies fear. Should she actually win the toss, America would become much closer to the ways of our beloved Arab world, and that is not something I look forward to.

So it’s a toss: I am more in favour of Obama than I am for Clinton? The other way around? I must confess that I am not very sure yet. Looking at my own selfish motives; I would have either rather than that foot-in-the-grave-not-committed-to-anything-whiny-voice McCain! But what if I think that all three are bad for the world?

I guess I would vote for Obama if I could. At least he is much more charismatic than Hilary could ever be. And I would not descend to the level of others who suggested that as she couldn’t satisfy her husband, how could she satisfy a nation?

Good luck America whoever you eventually choose. But for goodness’ sake choose wisely, the person you are choosing to lead will lead the whole world and not just your own patch.

Good luck.

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Here are some great photos to go along with it:

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“Barack Hussein promised “change.”

What type of change?

Black Supremacy.

This is worse than September 11, 2001. Black Panther Islam unite to destroy whites & those who side with whites!

Obama is a TERRORIST.”

I don’t agree with her views, but having the opportunity for a lone protestor not to have to get an approval from a government agency which must be presented with five signatories who reside in the area she wishes to protest and having to do so at least 72 hours before the event and is contingent on many other factors is very refreshing.

Nothing charged me up, ever, like being on this trip to Washington, DC and New York (particularly). I am convinced that the more of us Arabs visit this great country and others like it who espouse the values of democracy, the faster we too will adopt them.

It is very hard to explain democracy to people who never experienced it. They will never appreciate it and will almost always revert back to rhetoric that “our way is better”.

Sometime this week (or early next week) a few of us are going to be joining several high school students from Pennsylvania in a Skype conference. It will be moderated by their teacher, and it’s to help with their global studies class, so think of it as a cultural exchange as well as an educational experience for all of us.

Is there anyone in the Middle East who would like to join us? Last time I was the only one doing it, because MEY at the time was primarily populated by people who were blogging anonymously. Now that some of you are blogging under your real names I hope you consider joining us in this exchange. If so I will e-mail you the details as we have yet to decide on a time and date (which will be difficult considering the time difference.) The subject is very general and anyone in the region is welcome to join.

This session will be recorded and an edited version will be published as a podcast here.

This is a very effective way at improving cultural relations and communication between Middle Eastern and American youth. I hope some of you will be fascinated enough to call in! If interested, all you would need is a Skype account (and you can download Skype here) as well as a mic. This could take anything from 30 minutes to an hour depending on Mr. Wimmer who will be inviting his students.

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Away from politics, I started wondering whether he is the most linguistically accomplished candidate for US president there has ever been. He speaks English and Arabic, of course, but also Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Give him a crash course in French, and he'd have all six official languages of the UN.