Obama's Outreach to Muslims Starts New Path in Middle East

[007]

Obama's Outreach to Muslims Starts New Path in Middle East



In choosing an Arab network for his first televised interview, President Obama signaled a break with the past.

Even before crafting its own Middle East strategy, the Obama administration is making clear that its approach will differ -- in tone and style, if not also in substance -- from its predecessor's.

In choosing an Arab network for his first televised interview to declare, "Americans are not your enemy," President Barack Obama signaled a break with the past. The substance of the shift may have to wait, but the symbolism is immediate and likely to be reinforced with an early presidential visit to a Muslim nation.

The administration sees a great deal at stake, and not just the future prospect for Arab-Israeli peace. There also is the broader struggle against Islamic extremism -- what the George W. Bush administration called a "global war on terrorism" -- and the prospect for stability and democracy in Iraq.

The stakes stretch to Afghanistan, the Central Asian launching pad for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and where tens of thousands more U.S. troops are likely to be fighting in the months ahead. At least as important is the related problem of Pakistan, the nuclear-armed Muslim nation whose largely ungoverned areas along the border with Afghanistan are a haven for al-Qaida and other terrorists.

The list of related issues runs longer: Syria, Lebanon, Iran.

Article continues here...



Ya know, there's nothing "new" about this other than hussein is doing it. But whatever... if he can do ANYTHING to bring about better relations with the jihad crowd, my hats off to the guy. My guess is though, he's going to find out just like every other President has before him, these cold blooded, manical killers understand one thing and one thing only, BRUTE MILITARY FORCE!

 

[Dr Grump]

It is going to be interesting to see how it goes. I think if the US pulls out of hte ME completely, its standing in jihadist's eyes would go up IMO.

 

[rayboyusmc]

He wasn't talking to the Jihad crowd. He was talking to the moderate Muslims so that they will eventually work with us against the Jihad crowd.

 

[007]

He wasn't talking to the Jihad crowd. He was talking to the moderate Muslims so that they will eventually work with us against the Jihad crowd.

He might be talking with the moderates, but the intention is clear. He said it in his speech. "America is not your enemy." Well he'll have fun convincing them of that, after they've brain washed just about half of all the children born in the last fifty years to HATE and KILL Americans.

I just don't think he'll have any effect at all. But one can hope. Try anything. Maybe even his name will give him an edge.

 

[WillowTree]

He wasn't talking to the Jihad crowd. He was talking to the moderate Muslims so that they will eventually work with us against the Jihad crowd.

well, that will fix just about everything. so we are back to square one are we? Just like Boooosh, obamalama ain't talking to terrorists!


Change we cannot believe in.

 

[alan1]

A few things from the interview,

Q I want to ask you about the broader Muslim world, but let me -- one final thing about the Palestinian-Israeli theater. There are many Palestinians and Israelis who are very frustrated now with the current conditions and they are losing hope, they are disillusioned, and they believe that time is running out on the two-state solution because -- mainly because of the settlement activities in Palestinian-occupied territories. Will it still be possible to see a Palestinian state -- and you know the contours of it -- within the first Obama administration?

THE PRESIDENT: I think it is possible for us to see a Palestinian state -- I'm not going to put a time frame on it -- that is contiguous, that allows freedom of movement for its people, that allows for trade with other countries, that allows the creation of businesses and commerce so that people have a better life.

And, look, I think anybody who has studied the region recognizes that the situation for the ordinary Palestinian in many cases has not improved. And the bottom line in all these talks and all these conversations is, is a child in the Palestinian Territories going to be better off? Do they have a future for themselves? And is the child in Israel going to feel confident about his or her safety and security? And if we can keep our focus on making their lives better and look forward, and not simply think about all the conflicts and tragedies of the past, then I think that we have an opportunity to make real progress.

But it is not going to be easy, and that's why we've got George Mitchell going there. This is somebody with extraordinary patience as well as extraordinary skill, and that's what's going to be necessary.

Take a good look at the question, it is implied (by the interviewer) that the current strains on the relationship between Palestine and Israel is due to "occupation". Hey, wasn't that occupation of the West Bank, not the Gaza Strip where the current rocket launching from the Palestinians is coming from? Isn't it the violated ceasefire of the Palestinians (firing rockets from the Gaza Strip) that ended the ceasefire? Think about who the audience was that this interview was for. It wasn't Americans. It was Muslims in the Middle East. What do you think they heard?

THE PRESIDENT: -- what that tells me is that their ideas are bankrupt. There's no actions that they've taken that say a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education because of them, or has better health care because of them.

In my inauguration speech, I spoke about: You will be judged on what you've built, not what you've destroyed. And what they've been doing is destroying things. And over time, I think the Muslim world has recognized that that path is leading no place, except more death and destruction.

Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries

Now, isn't that interesting? When he was campaigning for president, it seems that any mention of his Muslim ties was strictly off limits by the press, and anybody that mentioned it was accused of being either a racist or a hater. Quite interesting.

Full text of interview here, OBAMA AL-ARABIYA INTERVIEW: FULL TEXT

 

[007]

He wasn't talking to the Jihad crowd. He was talking to the moderate Muslims so that they will eventually work with us against the Jihad crowd.

well, that will fix just about everything. so we are back to square one are we? Just like Boooosh, obamalama ain't talking to terrorists!

Change we cannot believe in.

Looks like conservatives will be the only ones waiting to see how it turns out Willow. Just the fact that hussein is talking to the middle east crowd is GOOD ENOUGH for liberals. They could care less what the outcome is. Obama talked, they swooned, all is good.

 

[alan1]

Looks like conservatives will be the only ones waiting to see how it turns out Willow. Just the fact that hussein is talking to the middle east crowd is GOOD ENOUGH for liberals. They could care less what the outcome is. Obama talked, they swooned, all is good.

They used to tell women that were victims of rape to try and "talk" with their rapists, to try and develop a rapport with them and get their rapists to see them in a human sense. The hope was that the rapist would abandon his actions.

It doesn't work.
Now women are advised to fight like hell if somebody is attempting to rape them.

Seems that Mr Obama has attended one to many "sensitivity training" classes instead of real world "Some of these people hate your damn guts" classes.

 

[007]

They used to tell women that were victims of rape to try and "talk" with their rapists, to try and develop a rapport with them and get their rapists to see them in a human sense. The hope was that the rapist would abandon his actions.

It doesn't work.
Now women are advised to fight like hell if somebody is attempting to rape them.

Seems that Mr Obama has attended one to many "sensitivity training" classes instead of real world "Some of these people hate your damn guts" classes.

Terrorists and jihadists haven't listened to ANYONE since history has been recorded. As much as I'd like to think hussein can somehow pull one out of his ass, my realistic side says no way in hell. He's got a rude awakening coming. As he's over there kissing muslim ass telling them Americans aren't their enemy, they'll be planning their next attack.

 

[Annie]

I'm just wondering why he chose this as his first forum? Why not Americans through an American venue?

I'm also wondering why no transcripts on whitehouse.gov that we can read, not just listen to?

 

[007]

I'm just wondering why he chose this as his first forum? Why not Americans through an American venue?

I'm also wondering why no transcripts on whitehouse.gov that we can read, not just listen to?

I'd be willing to bet that's going to be the norm for hussein.

 

[Vel]

I'm just wondering why he chose this as his first forum? Why not Americans through an American venue?

I think that Obama really sees himself as more a "citizen of the world" rather than an American. I don't think that he has the sense of American exceptionalism that we normally get from a U.S. president.

 

[alan1]

I'm just wondering why he chose this as his first forum? Why not Americans through an American venue?

I think that Obama really sees himself as more a "citizen of the world" rather than an American. I don't think that he has the sense of American exceptionalism that we normally get from a U.S. president.

 

[manu1959]

I have lived in Muslim countries.......plural....which ones mr president.....

 

[xsited1]

If Obama's policies result in just one terrorist attack on American soil, his approval rating will drop to single digits.

 

[Annie]

"Transparency?" I don't think so. He's trusting on the MSM to cover for him!

 

[Sunni Man]

Why is everybody so negative about Pres. Obamas effort to reach out to the Muslims of the Middle East?

The American government has never really talked to these people.

All the US has ever done is talk AT them, not WITH them.

 

[alan1]

Why is everybody so negative about Pres. Obamas effort to reach out to the Muslims of the Middle East?

The American government has never really talked to these people.

All the US has ever done is talk AT them, not WITH them.

Pot, kettle, black.

 

[Sunni Man]

Why is everybody so negative about Pres. Obamas effort to reach out to the Muslims of the Middle East?

The American government has never really talked to these people.

All the US has ever done is talk AT them, not WITH them.

Pot, kettle, black.

 

[007]

Why is everybody so negative about Pres. Obamas effort to reach out to the Muslims of the Middle East?

The American government has never really talked to these people.

All the US has ever done is talk AT them, not WITH them.

Hey, more power to him. I'd faint if he made a difference though. I think his anointed, messiah, status has gone to his head, and he thinks he's going to have more of an impact than he really will... which in reality is probably going to be nil. But let him have at it. He has no experience. Maybe he'll learn something about radical muslims.