President Barack Obama presented a humble and conciliatory face of America to the Islamic world Monday in the first formal interview since he assumed office, stressing his own Muslim ties and hopes for a Palestinian state, and avoiding a belligerent tone — even when asked if America could “live with” an Iranian nuclear weapon.
The interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya Network was a dramatic piece of public diplomacy aimed at capitalizing on the new American president’s international popularity, though it balanced America’s traditional commitment to Israel, whose security Obama called “paramount.’
“I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript. “My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy.”
[...]
“What I told him is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating — in the past on some of these issues — and we don’t always know all the factors that are involved,” Obama said. “What we want to do is to listen, set aside some of the preconceptions that have existed and have built up over the last several years. And I think if we do that, then there’s a possibility at least of achieving some breakthroughs.”
# 18 bimbo said, “Why pose a counter arguement[sic] to you?
Well, since there is no logical argument, I can see why you ask. There is no sane argument for the US murdering civilian woman & children. Unless, you care to offer one?
Sane is a matter of opinion….
But in this case you are correct.
Kudos
Mr. Fusion (#20),
I must politely disagree that Palestine is the source of all Middle East conflict. Palestine is just the topic of the day. Read the history of that region, before the Jews started moving back in the late 19th Century there was still continual conflict. Whether it was with Coptic Christians, Sunni versus Shia, Muslim versus whatever. That region hasn’t known peace since people moved there. Must be something in the water…
23,
Something in the water? You don’t think God has anything to do with it, do you?
# 24 Named said, “You don’t think God has anything to do with it, do you?”
Who created the water?
#21–Paddy==you’ve been making a point of this for a few days. Could you repost your source for your information on this event?
Otherwise, I have to assume the correct statement is “There is no sane argument for the US TARGETING civilian woman & children.” To call something a “WAR” is to make it clear that the issues at risk warrants the collateral killing of innocent human beings to achieve the stated goals.
You can call the Afghanistan incident insane if you think war is insane and you will be completely irrelevant. Of interest would be the all encompassing alternative plan or policies that you recommend instead.
Withdrawing from Afghanistan would be my course of action. But what you gonna do when your own country confuses self interest with jingoism?
Thanks to the Bush administration’s lies and failures, the american public is finally holding the media accountable for bending the truth. People are relying more on alternative outlets on the internet for news.
As such, the mid-east conflict can only be solved when the people in our country will start looking at things in a fair manner. We will ultimately implement a 2 state solution wether the 2 parties like it or not, by force when and if necessary.
The Obama administration WILL succeed.
# 26 bobbo said, “Paddy==you’ve been making a point of this for a few days. Could you repost your source for your information on this event?”
It has been reported on EVERY major news outlet website. I think the Pak incident was on Jan 23.
#28–Paddy==so you have no specific support for your continuing characterization? Very weak. Get yourself a verifiable reference to rely on or you risk remaining nothing but a gadfly—unless you just want to display your own gratifications.
Seriously == find a reference that makes YOUR case. Doing your own verification may even change your own mind before continuing to publish incorrect or partial stories.
#19, Bobbo,
I don’t know/care what mix of history/religion/politics/tribalism the world view of the Islamofascits are==death/containment for them is the only option.
The problem with that is the world opinion sees things American don’t. Their news may be more neutral or even biased the other way, but very few see the world as do the Bushits claim.
Not caring about what happens to someone else means that fewer people care what happens to you. So when we ask NATO for help tracking down Osama bin Laden and al Quada, don’t expect our enemies to be jumping up to suddenly join us. All those NATO governments also see what their citizens are seeing and thinking.
29,
http://news.google.ca/news?q=obama+bombs+pakistan&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=news_group&resnum=1&ct=title
All over the news. Obama has picked his war. Every president does…
# 31 Named said, “All over the news. Obama has picked his war. Every president does…”
Correct. He also stated, during the election, that bombing Pakistan was something he was thinking about.
32,
I don’t think any president has picked a war with a nookuloor power before, so I’m not sure what’s up with that.
Bush pandering to Pakistan was limitless though… So, this is “change”.
As an aside, I do love reading about the Roman Republic/Empire. The parallels are simply amazing…
Times of India
“Pakistan urged Obama to halt US missile strikes on al-Qaida strongholds near the Afghan border, saying that civilians were killed in the first attacks since Obama’s inauguration.
Pakistani security officials said eight suspected foreign militants, including an Egyptian al-Qaida operative, were among 22 people killed in Friday’s twin strikes. ”
Sounds like Obomba is keeping his word about invading Pakistan.
# 33 Named said, “As an aside, I do love reading about the Roman Republic/Empire. The parallels are simply amazing…”
Yes, and the British empire. Both were commercial empires that where eventually lead by idiots who thought they should be military empires instead. The US is following the same tragic trajectory…
Of course George Bush engaged in no diplomacy as President. Absolutely non I tell you. That statement form Egypt bashing Hamas just happened by miracle.
As for Palestine, how about having Jordan return the Palestinian land it stole?
#36, Lyin’ Mike,
Sure, good idea. Then we could have GW Bush apologize for kidnapping all the Gitmo detainees. Geeze, after Jordan returns any land Bush could even personally tell each tortured detainee how much he regrets that they had to suffer for his and Cheney’s enjoyment.
# 37 Mr. Fusion said, “Then we could have GW Bush apologize for kidnapping all the Gitmo detainees.”
No, no, no. Remember you said the “kidnappings” were legal. Please be consistent.
Mr. Fusion (#37),
Regardless of what you think of MikeN’s other postings, he is actually correct on this one. From the UN itself at http://un.org/Depts/dpa/ngo/history.html
“Jordan and Egypt occupied the other parts of the territory assigned by the partition resolution to the Palestinian Arab State which did not come into being.”
The problem isn’t that we say we’re not their enemy, the problem is that THEY say we are. Until everyone in the U.S. converts to their particular brand of Islam we will always be their enemy. Look, it took the creation of the U.S. Navy to quell the Muslim Barbary pirates who used their religion as a quantifier to commit acts of slavery and piracy until the 1830′s. Yet, if you look at the horn of Africa what do you see becoming a problem again, Muslim pirates. Now there may be moderate Muslims that can live peacefully amongst the infidels but there are those that choose to commit terror and again quantify it. They quote the Koran as they slice off somebodies head. As far as I’m concerned the Marines have been the only answer to keep these people marginalized.