Obama’s Courtship of the Muslim World

I have come here (Cairo) to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common

principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings. (Obama’s speech in Cairo, June 4, 2009)

President George W. Bush’s (President Obama’s predecessor) foreign policy in respect of the Muslim world had created such a huge mistrust in the hearts of Muslims all over the world that America began to be hated in the Muslim world with an unprecedented intensity. Its image in the Muslim world was never as dark as it was in Bush’s time. His so-called anti-terrorism policy was such that it generated a much greater deal of terrorism all the world over than what it quelled. His attack on Iraq was nefarious – Iraq had nothing to do with al-Qaeda when he attacked it. It became a hotbed of terrorism after the invasion. Obama said in his speech, “Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world…I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be.�

Thus President Obama inherited a Muslim world in which America became the most heinous bogey. Quite understandably then his one of the most urgent tasks was to repair the relationship between the U.S. and the Muslim world. He tried to reassure the Muslim world that the U.S. does not want to antagonize Muslims. Off and on and on again, he underlined his personal experiences, e.g., his relationship with Muslims (his father was a Kenyan Muslim), his early upbringing in Indonesia, his Muslim friends, etc. His speech at Cairo University is the crowning event of all his efforts so far. Some time before his Cairo speech, he had sent a personal letter to Iran’s volatile and hostile president, Ahmedinijad, to scale down the mutual existing tension. Although Ahmedinijad did not extend his hand in response, it helped create an environment in Iran that was not hostile as in the past. Iranians wanted to wait and see what President Obama would do next. Next came his historic speech in Cairo.

He drew from the American history to assure the Muslim world that he was genuine in what he feels and says about it. He said, “In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second president John Adams wrote, ‘The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims’. And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers – Thomas Jefferson – kept in his personal library.�

The most serious issue that hurts the relationship is the tension between Israel and Palestine. President Bush went all the way to coddle Israel and completely ignored the Palestinians who were made homeless in their home country. Obama is trying to create a balance in this tilted situation. He asserted, “America’s strong bonds with Israel are well-known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.� However, he also emphasized the plight of the Palestinians. He said, “..it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people – Muslims and Christians – have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years, they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations – large and small – that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt; the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable – America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own…The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates the previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.�

By saying so publicly, he has put Israel on warn. His are strong words which no other president in the past could address to Israel. But the words are only words. Obama recognized it when he said, “I do so recognize that change can not happen overnight. No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have all the complex questions that brought us to this point.�

Obama’s speech is mollifying. How far will it go in reducing the existing mistrust and tension, only time will tell. He is quite honest and will try to implement his ideas although it is not an easy task. At the minimum, he has to demonstrate that he practically means what he says. If he is able, for instance, to stop Israel’s unbridled expansionist activities, he will win the trust of the Muslim world.