The mountain leads to the Prophet

The liberal daily La Stampa stresses the significance of the venue for Barack Obama's speech to the Islamic world: "Each one of his speeches [up to now] has been delivered at a place that is closely bound up with the meaning of the message. … American presidents travel a lot. … But the real talking takes place in Washington. That's where the agreements and strategic friendships are established. The empire is a pyramid; the legitimation of the barbarians can only take place in the new Rome. But this time the pyramid is being turned upside down. Obama is talking to the Muslims in the places where they live. He talks to the Koranic schools of the Arab world from the lectern of a major Arab university. He addresses them as equals, visits their places as a pilgrim among pilgrims, the places where the conflict was born. … Perhaps Obama's Middle East tour won't be decisive, but this doesn't change the fact that with this trip to Cairo Obama is writing a cultural chapter that makes the metaphor of the impossible come true: for the first time we are seeing the mountain that leads to the [Prophet] Muhammad."

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