Indonesia the right stage for Obama

In August 2007, President-elect Barack Obama promised that, in the first 100 days of his administration, he would ‘travel to a major Islamic forum’ and give a speech on Islam and terrorism. ‘I will make clear’, he promised, ‘that we are not at war with Islam, that we will stand with those who are willing to stand up for their future, and that we need their effort to defeat the prophets of hate and violence…My message will be clear: “You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our moment is now.”’

In Monday’s New York Times, I argued Obama should give this speech in Indonesia. There are strong cases to be made for other locations, of course. But when I look at The Audacity of Hope, with its rich description of Indonesia, I’d be surprised if he goes elsewhere to deliver it.