Obama on the Middle East then and now

President Obama gave his long-awaited speech on the Middle East today, calling on the president of Syria to lead his country to democracy or “get out of the way.” Obama said the United States has a historic opportunity and the responsibility to support the rights of people clamoring for freedoms. But some people noticed — and were disappointed by — the absence of any mention of another country where democracy is suppressed: Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally.

Things have certainly changed in the region since Obama’s 2009 speech to the Muslim world. Here’s a Wordle depiction of his speech today:

wordle_obama_mideast_2011.jpg

This is his speech to the Muslim world, which he delivered in Cairo in 2009:

wordle_obama_mideast_2009.jpg