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It is not the image of Islam in the Western world that is of concern...It is the image of the West in the Islamic world that is of concern. It is not Islam that needs to mend relations with the West, it is the West that needs to mend relations with Islam:
President-elect Barack Obama says he plans to give "a major address" in an Islamic capital soon after taking office as he seeks to mend America's image in the Muslim world. As part of his embrace of the Arab world Obama will use his entire name, Barack Hussein Obama in his swearing-in ceremony, and in all interaction with the Muslim world as a message to all Muslims.
Of course, during the campaign, for political reasons Obama did not use his middle name and anyone who did was condemned not only by the media, but by John McCain, as inappropriate and even racist. So what was racist before the election is now a "political asset" after the election.
President-elect Barack Obama says he plans to give "a major address" in an Islamic capital soon after taking office as he seeks to mend America's image in the Muslim world. As part of his embrace of the Arab world Obama will use his entire name, Barack Hussein Obama in his swearing-in ceremony, and in all interaction with the Muslim world as a message to all Muslims.Of course, during the campaign, for political reasons Obama did not use his middle name and anyone who did was condemned not only by the media, but by John McCain, as inappropriate and even racist. So what was racist before the election is now a "political asset" after the election.
Joe-This has got to be one of the biggest non-surprises coming out of Barry's transition team: that he would exploit his Islamic birth name to appeal to Muslims that America wants to make-nice w/ Islam. Ahem...didn't W. make this same effort w/ Karen Hughes?
ReplyDeleteThe difference w/ Barry is that he will invoke images and phrases from his Berlin speech, you know, like "citizen of the world," etc.
The only way to make Muslims love us is to role over and die or convert. I look forward to Barry's apology for leaning forward and attacking Islamic barbarians before they strike here. It's all very entertaining, yet very dangerous.
F. Garvin, Ph.D., S.J.
There is a very good reason to apologize to Muslims- well, Arabs at least. We've been supporting corrupt Arab Nationalist regimes in Egypt, North Africa, and the Arabian peninsula for decades now, and shooting ourselves in the process. Its generally agreed that for all their talk about global Caliphates, their most pressing goal is to overthrow these regimes. Along with their exploitation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, America's support for these regimes is their most powerful propaganda tool. That's why the United States needs to make nice with the Arab Muslim street- firstly to get them to support a comprehensive Peace Deal with Israel and secondly to remove the stigma that the flawed War On Terror (Abu Gharib, anyone?) that the United States has in the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteP.S. People don't hate us because they are Muslim. Albania is a majority Muslim nation, and is arguably the most pro-US country on Earth.
Excuse me- when I said "Its generally agreed that for all their talk about global Caliphates, their most pressing goal is to overthrow these regimes. Along with their exploitation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, America's support for these regimes is their most powerful propaganda tool.", I was referring to al-Qaeda
ReplyDeleteOh good lord! Why does Anonymous treat Arabs like infants who have no control over themselves?
ReplyDeleteThe US did not invent Islam, it did not invent the Arab mentality, it did not invent Sharia, it did not invent honor killing, it did not invent the systemic, backwards, self-induced, poverty, ignorance, superstition and conspiratorialist mindset ingrained in the Arab world, it did not invent the totalitarian, militaristic tyrants of the Arab world, it did not invent Arab terrorism.
Your excuses for Arab behavior only exacerbates the problem. It’s like telling a drug addict that it's not his fault and that society made him do it.
I'm hoping that there is no way that Obama is as naive as this post seems to imply. The contention that we must make nice with the Arab Muslim street to enjoy any peace with them is absurd on its face. The Arab Muslim street cannot be counted on for its rationality. Case in point: The Mohamed cartoons. Eastern & Western thought are too diametrically opposed for us to come to any long lasting peaceful arrangement. It will take a reformation of Islam for us to have any real progress.
ReplyDeleteReboot? yes we mustn't let the liberation of tens of millions of mooslims at the cost of American blood and treasure tarnish our image!
ReplyDeleteWe and our allies should be ashamed Iraqis have a voice in their government and the rape rooms are out of business, we and our allies should be ashamed the UN financed stadium in Kabul is no longer used for beheadings and mutilation.