Muslim shopkeepers, students and even radical groups such as Hamas praised President Barack Obama’s address Thursday as a positive shift in U.S. attitude and tone. But Arabs and Muslims of all political stripes said they want him to turn his words into action – particularly in standing up to Israel.
Obama impressed Muslims with his humility and respect and they were thrilled by his citing of Quranic verses. Aiming to repair ties with the Muslim world that had been strained under his predecessor George W. Bush, he opened with the traditional greeting in Arabic “Assalamu Aleikum,” which drew enthusiastic applause from his audience at Cairo University.
His address touched on many themes Muslims wanted to hear in the highly anticipated speech broadcast live across much of the Middle East and elsewhere in the Muslim world. He insisted Palestinians must have a state and said continued Israeli settlement in the West Bank is not legitimate. He assured them the U.S. would pull all it troops out of Iraq by 2012 and promised no permanent U.S. presence in Afghanistan.
When asked for his thoughts, [url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,524857,00.html]Edwin Dyer[/url] was unavailable for comment.
Its interesting to hear the diversity of muslim voices. It’s interesting that – like many conservatives – most of the radical Muslims don’t trust Obama. They still see him as a pawn of Israel.
Tone does allow for an opening, and may hopefullly diminish the great anger that many have for the US. If more Muslims find that Al Quaeda doesn’t, in fact, represent their interests, Obama will have made the world a much safer place.
Obama rightly noted that the victims of Muslim violence are other Muslims.
Being humble is a useful virtue, as is speaking the truth, which is what Obama did.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, US citizens very much resent Obama making sucha fuss over killer Tiller’s death and ignoring the death and wounding of two US soldiers by a muslim who had planned to target more.
In regards to Mr. Dyer’s death, all countries where these travesties occur at the hands of violent muslims, should be boycotted and embargoed.
And, all shipping into islamic pirate infested waters should be accompanied by gunships with shoot-to-kill orders to defend and facilitate commercial shipping.
BTW – Obama was NOT truthful…Obama seems to have conveniently forgotten a lot of history.
“Set aside the president’s inexplicable failure to cite the U.N.’s vote to bring Israel into existence as a modern state which should have then led to a blunt, discussion-ending statement that Israel exists as an independent Jewish state and will always exist as an independent Jewish state, and consider that the president invites comparison between the Holocaust and that which has happened in the Middle East through successive wars waged against Israel by its neighbors since 1948. This last paragraph is a profound betrayal of Israel suggesting as it does that Israel has done to the Palestinians what the Nazis did to Jews, which will no doubt shock many Americans and of course many Israelis while becoming a standard text for the most radical among the Palestinians. It was clearly carefully crafted to indulge Palestinian and Arab narratives about what has happened in the past 61 years while maintaining plausible deniability for the president’s supporters who are also supporters of Israel, but it fails to fool anyone for even a moment. Israelis should finally grasp if they haven’t already that the ground of the American-Israel alliance is quaking beneath them.
The world is the worse for this speech because it was not honest about the situation in the Middle East, not honest about the threat from Iran, not honest about Israel’s deep desire to be allowed to live in peace, and not honest about the determination of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran to destroy Israel and to gain the weapons necessary to do so in an instant.
No speech so deeply dishonest in its omissions or so rhetorically misleading its its assumptions and arguments can do anything other than communicate extraordinary weakness on the part of the United States. It will indeed be a famous speech, for all the wrong reasons.”
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/442be22f-06ee-4abc-88e3-3e0945f817a4
…to repair ties with the Muslim world that had been strained under his predecessor George W. Bush…
… when Muslim radicals flew airplanes into American skyscrapers and killed thousands of American citizens. “Radical Muslims” did I say? Who danced in the streets at that blow to the Great Satan? All of them radicals, of course. Real Muslims are all about peace.
How many American presidents (including both Bushes, I believe) have come out in favor of a Palestinian state? Ignoring the obvious fact the Palestinians don’t want a state; they want Palestine – every square inch of it, preferably killing all the Jews in the process.
I think some people have a predisposition to not find anything positive about Obama’s speech. As I read elsewhere today, when Obama spoke in the Mideast, the audience interrupted him 30 times with loud applause; when Bush spoke, he got interrupted by hurled shoes. Tone and intent make a lot of difference and inspire different reactions, I’d say.
The shoe hurler in Iraq was a Baathist, ember. That is, a former supporter of the Hussein regime; or, a supporter of the current Syrian regime.
That said, people in the Middle East have absorbed and believed the media assaults on Bush, many of which were grossly exaggerated. If Obama’s speech is a step towards mending a damaged image (however unjust that image may be), is will be a good thing. Too early to tell.
I am happy to say when we went out to a hotel for dinner we saw about twenty-five U.S. Army men who were here for Obama, now enjoying a deserved good dinner. I am glad they were here. I would trust them to do the right thing over the Egyptian military, despite its good intentions.
Bush also visited Muslim Mosques and reassured them that the US had no intention of blind reprisals, stating that America believed that the great majority of Muslims followed a ‘religion of peace’. And by the way, he was continually blasted by the Dems for his friendly relations with the king of Saudi Arabia.
The idea that US-Islamic relations was strained during the Bush administration is a Democratic Party inspired FALSEHOOD!
By the way, Obamas list of Islams contribution to the world is also propaganda. Islam did not create or radically contribute to the development of: magnetic compasses (China), writing and printing (Ireland and Germany), Algebra (BC Babylon and Greece), Poetry and music (hum a song from the muslim world — instruments are forbidden — and recite a poem — the only Muslim poets I can think of are Rumi adn Khalil Gibran). His teleprompter needs a history lesson.
Mr. President said something similar during an interview with French reporters – something like the “fact” that the United States could be considered one of the largest Muslim countries. The “fact” is that the US would rank in the mid-30’s for Muslim population in the world.
His tone is consistently political and apologetic – he still acts like he’s on the campaign trail, and makes statements and declarations that he cannot or will not or could not follow through with.
Our friends in Israel are once again being thrown under the bus in order to appease a population that, as another poster pointed out, rejoiced mightily in our misfortune and tragedy.
[blockquote]the only Muslim poets I can think of are Rumi adn Khalil Gibran[/blockquote]
I’m quite certain that poetry is very popular in the muslim world, Jim. We had a missionary in one of the “‘stans” who said the muslims there especially loved the Psalms because they were poetry.
I’d add, just off the top of my head, Khayyam to that list.
# 9 Jim I read a critical (analytical) book on Islam by I believe I Ben Waric. He pretty much supports your claim stating the the golden age of Islam was inspite of Isam, poems of physical love, poetry etc were all dispised by Mohammed as was much of the culture that later florished.
Obama in talking about the new track of no torture etc forgot to mention that the policy of Rendition started under President Clinton, FISA, indefinite detentions are all policies that Obama retains that have been criticized as violating human rights.
Jeffersonian,
It may interest you to know that when my youngest son went off on his second tour in Iraq, I asked him, if possible, to search the desert
there for a red boat. You know, the ruby yacht of Omar Khayyam.
[blockquote]You know, the ruby yacht of Omar Khayyam.[/blockquote]
Now you have something to confess on Sunday. 🙂
Can you even get into heaven if you tell a pun that bad?
Jeez guys, I work with what I am given.
Actually I liked that and will probably steal it.
Okay, I admit I chuckled. 😛
library Jim wrote:
“By the way, Obamas list of Islams contribution to the world is also propaganda. Islam did not create or radically contribute to the development of: …Poetry and music (hum a song from the muslim world—instruments are forbidden—and recite a poem—the only Muslim poets I can think of are Rumi adn Khalil Gibran). His teleprompter needs a history lesson.”
Rumi’s works are written in the New Persian language. A Persian literary renaissance (in the 8th/9th century) started in regions of Sistan, KhorÄsÄn and Transoxiana[15]and by the 10th/11th century, it reinforced the Persian language as the preferred literary and cultural language in the Persian Islamic world. Although Rumi’s works were written in Persian, Rumi’s importance is considered to transcend national and ethnic borders. His original works are widely read in their original language across the Persian-speaking world. Translations of his works are very popular in other countries. His poetry has influenced Persian literature as well as the literature of the Urdu, Bengali, Arabic and Turkish languages. His poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s languages and transposed into various formats; He has been described as the “most popular poet in America” in 2007.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi
Regarding Gibran:
His masterpiece, The Prophet, first published in 1923 by Alfred Knopf, has sold over 10 million copies, and been printed in over 20 languages.
Gibran’s contribution to his adopted homeland as a prominent literary figure, manifest itself in President John F. Kennedy’s famous words, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
Thirty-six years before President Kennedy’s 1961 Inaugural Address; Gibran, in his work The New Frontier (1925), had already prompted his brethren in the Middle East:
“Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, then you are a parasite; if the second, then you are an oasis in a desert.”
http://www.sikhspectrum.com/052004/gibran.htm
No significant contribution indeed.
Rumi was a sufi, and thus well off the Sunni orthodoxy. Khalil Gibran was a Maronite Christian.
While some of Obama’s history is a little shaky, citing Islamic achievements without citing similar (or better) Western achievements is part of speaking to a particular audience.
The Iberian and later Ottoman regimes were tolerant — in medieval terms, not in modern terms. Jews in fact migrated from Spain after the reconquista to Istanbul, where the Sultan welcomed them and where they lived reasonably comfortably until the twentieth century. These regimes, again, were not tolerant in our terms, allowing full freedom of religion, freedom to convert, freedom from extra taxes and restrictions, but in medieval terms, they were more tolerant than Europe of the time.
Jim, perhaps you could use a teleprompter, to keep you from making such careless historical generalizations. There is scholarly debate on the development and diffusion of the compass. Arab scholars (such as Ibn al-Shatir) certainly did make significant contributions in the Medieval period. Islamic culture did develop highly skilled calligraphy, just as nearly every literate culture from the Celts to the Chinese at one point did. You are also laboring under the misconception that Gutenberg invented printing out of thin air. The history of printing stretches back much further, to China and, wait for it, the Arab world, where clothmakers were using block printing before Europe did. The Germans, as you say, invented modern movable type (and not before the Chinese also did), but not the entire concept of printing. And just because you can only think of two Islamic poets doesn’t mean there weren’t many more (you have quite a high opinion of your intellectual prowess). And you can no more say that Islam prohibits musical instruments than you can say that Christianity prohibits iconography (the Iconoclasts and Calvinists certainly did, but the Orthodox and Roman Catholics did and would not – just so, was there debate within Islam). And even if it did, musical contributions could theoretically include, oh, I don’t know, a capella singing! You can zealously criticize Islam and still admit its cultural contributions, especially the ones that are historically apparent (or at the very least are more complex than you, or I, are making them). Why must your arguments always be all or nothing, and (for a librarian) so carelessly researched?
It is obvious that modern Western tensions with the Islamic world did not start with the Bush administration (just see the Iran Hostage Crisis, the Beirut barracks bombing, the 1st bombing of the WTC, or the attack on the USS Cole). But the idea that US-Islamic relations was FURTHER strained during the Bush administration…is manifestly obvious. To deny that the Islamic world hasn’t been enflamed by the Iraq War, Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, etc. is patently absurd (even should you agree with all of those things – you must admit that the “Arab street” was enfuriated).
[Please be careful not to make comments personal but direct them solely to the issues – Elf]
I’m sorry, Elves, but Old Soldier really needed to be lashed with a wet noodle for that groaner.
Alta, I believe I was criticizing Obama for stating that these things were the SOLE contribution from Islam, where they are no such thing. Islamic innovators may hve contributed SOMETHING, but in no way shape or form were they responsible for them. They may have been parallel, but in no way did the West truly benefit from them HISTORICALLY (except, perhaps, for the contribution of the concept of ‘zero’).
In other words, it would be like praising the person who decided to make a remote control available in silver instead of black as the person [i]responsible[/i] for the remote control!
Again you’re making a sweeping generalization. Europe certainly did benefit historically from certain Islamic developments. There was a level of independent and concurrent development, to be sure, but with items such as block printing, Europe learned directly from contact with the Muslim marketplace and academy. And the contribution of Arab culture to algebra was significant enough that we use their word for it. Go ahead and claim that Christian and Chinese advances were more fundamental, significant and lasting. I’ll join you. But don’t snark at the President for bad history, when you are making unsustainable historical generalizations yourself.
I do apologize for the personal remark about your profession (I think my librarian comment was what the elves were really concerned about). But I do think you should be more careful with your own history.
First, I don’t think I’m making a sweeping Generalization. Obama certainly did, however, and more than once in his speech.
I would have rather he said something along the lines of that he appreciates what Islam has brought about in [i]contributions[/i] to various disciplines, disciplines that started in other cultures, from both East and West. And that when these came together, they were better then when they were separate from one another.
He could have then brought that home, by stating that together, respecting each others unique differences and talents, we can accomplish more than when we try to force conversion to our way of thought. I know, he tried to say something like that, but failed by giving the Islamic world complete credit for the list he brought up, and ended up apologizing for American imperialistic tendencies (I disagree with this characterization of America).
He should have also mentioned the aid the West has provided to Muslim countries, in times of peace, yes, but especially in times of need, as with the Tsunami a few years ago, when we provided over $350 MILLION in aid. Instead he focused on wars and our ‘imposing our view’ on the world. Without the aid from America, famine in Muslim Africa would be so much more severe. Monies for AIDS research would be millions less, and disease would run rampant without our medical aid, and food production much worse without our agricultural assistance. Not to mention clean water technologies, etc. etc. None of this was mentioned. Only ‘mea culpas’ where not needed.
[i]But the idea that US-Islamic relations was FURTHER strained during the Bush administration…is manifestly obvious. To deny that the Islamic world hasn’t been enflamed by the Iraq War, Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, etc. is patently absurd (even should you agree with all of those things – you must admit that the “Arab street†was enfuriated). [/i]
Oh I most certainly do disagree with this. Unless one only gets the views of foreign attitude through the lens of the cable news networks (exempting Fox), who utterly despised and hated Bush, I do NOT think that relations were strained because of Bush. In fact, i do think he went out of his way to extend MORE friendship to the Islamic world, and stressed over and over that this was NOT a war against Islam, but against extremist terrorism. As I said, he maintained a working relationship with Saudi Arabia (and was still castigated by the media for this — who cannot be placated on any level).
In this case it’s perspective, and if one believes the lies (yes they were outright lies) about Bush and the views from abroad from the MSM, then nothing will change the mind about this. By the way, the Iraqi’s don’t have hard feelings about the US, instead they will tell anyone who asks that they are grateful for what we have done there, as many many many returning soldiers attest.
Jim, I want to thank you for your comments about Iraq and American soldiers. My son has a friend who was stationed in a small town in Iraq. The military upgraded the electrical system, got running water into the town, upgraded the sewer plant, and opened schools. The press showed up for the one car bombing that occured while this individual was in the town!