#98QBKiller Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Good start IMO, but the Gaza situation is definitely looming. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/27/obama.arabia/index.html WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama said his administration will offer a hand of friendship to the Muslim world but will hunt down terrorist organizations that kill innocent civilians. "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy," Obama said in an interview with Al-Arabiya, the Dubai-based satellite television network. "We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect." During his run for the White House, Obama pledged to improve ties with the Muslim world, draw down U.S. troops in Iraq and close the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The president also has pledged to address the Muslim world from a Muslim capital in the first 100 days of his administration. No location has been announced. Obama said the United States will go after terrorist groups that kill innocent civilians but will do so while respecting the rule of law. The president said that difference makes America great. The Obama administration also has taken an early interest in the Middle East peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians, with the president naming former Sen. George Mitchell as his special envoy to the region. Mitchell is scheduled to arrive in the Mideast on Tuesday to shore up a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Gaza's Hamas leadership. "I think the most important thing is for the United States to get engaged right away," Obama told Hisham Melhem, Al-Arabiya's Washington bureau chief. Watch Obama reach out to Muslims ยป A tentative cease-fire between Israel and Hamas-ruled Gaza began last week after a three-week military operation by Israeli troops in the Palestinian territory. "Ultimately, we cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them. They're going to have to make some decisions," Obama said. "But I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people. And that instead it's time to return to the negotiating table." Obama said the United States will start by listening, not dictating, and then a response will be formulated after consultations with all the major parties involved. Obama's interview was seen widely in Pakistan and has received a generally positive response from analysts there. Islamabad author and journalist Imtiaz Gul told CNN: "It's a good sign of an attempt to reconcile with the Muslim world, to say America wants to reach out to them and not to consider them as an enemy." Analyst Zaid Hamid said that Obama has yet to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim world. Hamid said the real litmus test for the Muslim world is what Obama does with the crisis in Gaza. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryfuhl Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 we shall see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoot Point Really Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Please don't hurt us anymore... And did I mention my middle name is "Hussein?!?!?!?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMike619 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I will tell you this, if he can bring peace to the middle east I will be very impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 At this point what he says isn't as important as what he does. Put me down as another 'we shall see.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickalino Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 The real questions is, "Are Americans the enemy of Obama ?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'm all for speaking softly.. just be sure that the Big Stick isn't completely out of sight. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Prime Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Give people an inch they'll take a mile.. Obama needs to be careful here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccsl2 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 The real questions is, "Are Americans the enemy of Obama ?" We know of at least 1 enemy...his name rhymes with Crush Stimbaugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'm all for speaking softly.. just be sure that the Big Stick isn't completely out of sight.~Bang Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibbsFactor Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I like it and I think it's one of the reasons the world was excited by his election. I don't think the world minds if we are the leaders, just fair and just leaders that produce good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 The real questions is, "Are Americans the enemy of Obama ?" legitimate question. Unfortunately it seems that many hardcore republicans view Obama as "the enemy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Clearly it's an intelligent thing to say and a good first step in what amounts to a marathon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackest Eyes Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I think this is a good step by Obama, but bringing peace to the middle east seems absurd to me. Maybe there can be peace between us and them but that whole area of the world is completely different than us and all they have ever done is fight. I don't ever see there being peace among middle eastern countries. But I hope that Obama can at least make things right with us and them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'm all for speaking softly.. just be sure that the Big Stick isn't completely out of sight.~Bang +1 And let me add one more message for the Middle east. If we are attacked again, we will be sure to elect someone who makes Bush look like a peace loving hippy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Stop with your We hate Obama stuff: So the I support the troops but not the war was fine, but I support the President but not some of his policies are hate filled. Got it. Always nice to have it both ways. He is a fresh face saying exactly the same thing as the previous face. Would be nice if it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnyderShrugged Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 To me, this is the best stance he has taken on any issue thus far. Anyone who thinks that the "blowback" phenomenon doesnt exist and that our actions as a nation have consequences is deluded. Too bad I hate 90% of the rest of his agenda though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'm all for speaking softly.. just be sure that the Big Stick isn't completely out of sight.~Bang You said it better than I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpyaks3 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I think he has taken a few good steps towards working for the long term in the Middle East, however, we need to fundamentally reexamine our approach to the Middle East. We need to actually start supporting democracy over there. We can't preach that we want to spread democracy while continuing to aid and strengthen a regime in Mubarak's that is both repressive and thoroughly entrenched in power. Hopefully Obama will be able to recognize that Egypt's crackdown on terror is politically minded and has nothing to do with terrorism. The Iranian revolution in 1979 was a direct result of us propping up a regime that was repressive and increasingly unpopular. We did not let politics take its normal course, and the result was a radical ideology that was able to form an extremely effective grassroots campaign and take power. If we had simply stopped protecting the Shah we may have seen a regime come to power that was significantly less radical and less anti American oriented. If we continue to support regimes like Mubarak's we may see a similar backlash, the Muslim Brotherhood is steadily gaining power, and while this isn't the Brotherhood of the 70's it is still slightly disconcerting. Until we re examine our relationships with regimes that are using our fears (of terrorism, or oil shortages) to leverage our support while they continue to run roughshod over their populations we are at best buying short term solutions that are unsustainable. We need to reexamine our Israel/Palestine views as well, we need to continue to work with Israel but we need to acknowledge that Palestinians have the right to a viable state as well and we need to bring about a more even handed approach. Wow, this post ended up being really long, but in short its a good first step but we still have a ways to go, hopefully Obama will continue on this path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haithman Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I like it and I think it's one of the reasons the world was excited by his election.I don't think the world minds if we are the leaders, just fair and just leaders that produce good. Precisely. This post says it all for me really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 To me, this is the best stance he has taken on any issue thus far. Anyone who thinks that the "blowback" phenomenon doesnt exist and that our actions as a nation have consequences is deluded.Too bad I hate 90% of the rest of his agenda though. Oh look... someone learned a new buzz word! There are repercussions from every action or inaction. One bit of "blowback" that no one wants to talk about is that before 9/11 we ran away from every fight and earned a reputation as paper tigers. It's one of the reasons bin Laden thought he could attack us. And for you SS... a reminder. Shutting down military bases around the world and breaking all of the treaties that would require would have shown you a whole new meaning to the word blowback. Thank God the loony uncle never made it past the primaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 thank god the loony uncle never made it past the primaries. qft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Oh look... someone learned a new buzz word! There are repercussions from every action or inaction. One bit of "blowback" that no one wants to talk about is that before 9/11 we ran away from every fight and earned a reputation as paper tigers. It's one of the reasons bin Laden thought he could attack us. And for you SS... a reminder. Shutting down military bases around the world and breaking all of the treaties that would require would have shown you a whole new meaning to the word blowback. Thank God the loony uncle never made it past the primaries. Amazing how I can agree with you and disagree with you so much at the same time. Isolationism is a feeble joke in the 21st century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Why do we have to be involved with anything over in the Middle East?? Can't we just avoid that part of the world for a while? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Why do we have to be involved with anything over in the Middle East?? Can't we just avoid that part of the world for a while? I hate to say it but there's a lot of oil over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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