Barack Obama is blind to his blunders over Islam

Times Online (U.K.) ^ | June 2, 2009 | Amir Taheri

[Schnucki]

The new President's approach discourages change in Middle Eastern countries that need it most

For the past week or so, the Middle East has been abuzz with speculation about Barack Obama's “historic address to the Muslim world” to be delivered in Cairo on Thursday. During his presidential campaign, Obama had promised to make such a move within his first 100 days at the White House.

In the event, the first 100 days came and went without Obama delivering on his promise. Nevertheless, he granted his first interview as President to Saudi television and, later, made a speech at the Turkish parliament in Ankara. On both occasions he highlighted the Islamic element of his background and solemnly declared that the “United States is not and will never be at war with Islam”.

Obama has aroused more curiosity in the Middle East than any previous US leader, partly because of his Arabic-Islamic first and middle names. The choice of the date for Obama's address indicates his attention to detail. It coincides with the anniversary of the start of the first battle between Islam, under Prophet Muhammad, and Christendom in the shape of a Byzantine expeditionary force in AD629. The “address to Islam” also marks the 30th anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhallah Khomeini's demise and the appointment of Ali Khamenei as the new “Supreme Guide of the Islamic ummah”. More importantly, it also coincides with the rebuilding of the Ka'abah, the stone at the heart of Mecca, which had been destroyed in a Muslim civil war.

Rich in symbolism, Obama's “address to Islam” is also full of political implications. Obama is the first major Western leader, after Bonaparte, to address Islam as a single bloc, thus adopting the traditional Islamic narrative of dividing the world according to religious beliefs. This ignores the rich and

[devolve]

.

Excellent graphic post potlatch

[potlatch]

Thank you

[blueplum]

In trying to prove that he is not George Bush, Barack Obama has committed big mistakes on key issues of foreign policy. His Cairo address, and his “one-size-fits-all” Islam policy, is just the latest. It encourages Islamists and ruling despots, discourages the forces of reform and change and, ultimately, could produce greater resentment of the United States among peoples thirsting for freedom, human rights and decent governance.

Agreed.

[freekitty]

I don’t know if it was a routine or not. The email said a speech. I like it no matter what side of the fence it came from.

[freekitty]

No

[SatinDoll]

“I like it no matter what side of the fence it came from.”

Me too. But it sure didn’t sound like Robin Williams, unless he’s had an epiphany.

[neverdem]

BTTT!

[Cindy]

SNIPPET from post no. 1: “Barack Obama is blind to his blunders over Islam”

#

OPINION:

I believe this article title does an injustice to President Obama.

President Obama knows exactly what he wants and how he would like to fulfill his agenda items.

[combat_boots]

June, 4, 1805 Tripoli is forced to conclude peace with the United States after a conflict over tribute.

http://www.historynet.com/today_in_history?tihMonth=6&tihDay=4&tdih=GO

June 2, 1964 - The PLO is formed in Jerusalem.

[freeangel]

“President obama knows exactly what he wants and how he would like to fullfill his agenda items”

BINGO! And it has nothing to do with keeping the US as the country in which I grew up. If he could introduce sharia today and have it accepted, he would do it today.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Power has corrupted Barack Obama in his short political career and given him a dangerous, false sense of superior wisdom. One wrong word or phrase in his “major address”—to an audience that includes tens of millions of volatile radicals—could turn into disaster.

[Kackikat]

Inviting Iranians to our July 4th celebrations wasn’t too smart, as hot dogs, BBQ and Ribs are mostly PORK and an insult to muslims religious food violations.

[Tolik]

Amir Taheri:

... Mr. Bush's analysis had been simple, or as Mr. Obama suggests, simplistic: the 9/11 attacks were the result of decades of US support for repressive regimes in the Middle East that had produced closed systems in which terror thrived. In an address to university students in Cairo in 2005, Condoleezza Rice explained the “Bush doctrine” in these terms: “For 60 years, the United States pursued stability at the expense of democracy in the Middle East - and we achieved neither. Now we are taking a different course.”

That different course transformed the US from a supporter of the status quo to an active agent for change - including the use of force to remove two obnoxious regimes in Kabul and Baghdad. It also coerced traditional Arab states to adopt constitutions, hold elections, grant women the vote, ease pressure on the media, and allow greater space for debate and dissent.

Mr. Obama has started scrapping that policy in the name of “political realism”, the currently fashionable phrase in Washington. The “political realist” school could also be called the “let them stew in their juices” school. It argues that Arabs, and other Muslims, are not ready for democracy and may not even like it if they encountered it. Rather than trying to shock “traditional societies” out of their sleep of centuries, Western powers, especially America, should try to maintain stability.

... The problem is that the status quo in the Middle East was and remains unstable. Sixty years of “political realist” support for the regimes in the region produced five Arab-Israel wars, civil wars in Lebanon and Yemen, military coups d'état in eight Arab countries, the Islamic revolution in Iran, and two wars between US-led international coalitions and Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

... In trying to prove that he is not George Bush, Barack Obama has committed big mistakes on key issues of foreign policy. His Cairo address, and his “one-size-fits-all” Islam policy, is just the latest. It encourages Islamists and ruling despots, discourages the forces of reform and change and, ultimately, could produce greater resentment of the United States among peoples thirsting for freedom, human rights and decent governance.

Nailed It!

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[KevinDavis]

Hell even James Buchanan looks better than this doofus.

[Le Chien Rouge]

Obama believes, as ALL hard core leftist believe, that there is no Evil, only VICTIMS.

Islam therefore has been victimized and the left will place the blame on Western Civilization, Christianity and Capitalism.

[jospehm20]

They were not blunders.

[Freedom2specul8]

I think it’s funny....discredit him by putting conservative words in his mouth!! LOL I like it.

[freekitty]

I do too. Perfect.

[freekitty]

Whatever you may think of Robin Williams; he does go over and entertain the troops too.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

No way Robin Williams wrote that he is liberal LOL