London, Feb 1, IRNA — Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union Speech was “nothing new” as the US president is seeking to blame others for America’s problems, a political analyst said.
Kamal Helbawy, the director of the London-based Centre for the Study of Terrorism, said Americans are suffering from the “foolish foreign policies” of their country while grappling with financial and economic problems.
“Americans are preoccupied with many problems abroad and want to blame others for them. They think they are the number one power. However, they should not forget what happened to the Soviet Union,” Helbawy told IRNA.
Asked about Obama’s references to Iran during his State of the Union Address, Helbawy said that what Obama pointed out about Iran was “the same as other US presidents were saying about the Islamic republic”.
“What Obama is saying about Iran is not new. Their main fear of America is about the oil in the region and the spread of al-Qaeda in Yemen. And they are also worried about Iran’s nuclear programme.”
The director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism added that Iran has to play a key regional role to “protect itself and other Islamic nations”.
Helbawy urged the United States to “forsake its policy of hegemony, respect other people in dealing with them, support freedom and human rights genuinely and do not impose policies on others.”
In his first State of the Union address, President Obama admitted that he faces “big and difficult challenges” as his nation remains in “devastation”.
“One in 10 Americans still cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. And for those who’d already known poverty, life has become that much harder,” Obama said.
He said Americans have the aspiration of finding “a job that pays the bills; a chance to get ahead;…the ability to give their children a better life.”