Source: Jakarta Globe:
As the violent anti-American protests in the Muslim world subside, those in the region and in the United States are wondering whether the upheaval will have a permanent effect.
Although by no means inevitable, these events could have a silver lining. If they spur leaders in North Africa to reassess their economic and security policies — or if they prod America to lean toward rather than away from North Africa — the region could end up being better off than it was before it erupted on Sept. 11, 2012.
One way in which the recent upheaval might have a lasting effect is on how freedom of speech is (or isn’t) respected in the new Middle East. Last week we witnessed a serious exchange of views on the subject among world leaders at the United Nations. US President Barack Obama sought to explain to the world why Americans hold so dear the right to state even the harshest of opinions; the presidents of Egypt and Yemen presented very different views on the limits of expression.
Categories: Americas