Obama Reaches Out to Muslim World

by Eyck Freymann



In a courageous and bold step, Barack Obama granted the first TV interview of his presidency to Arab news network al-Arabiya. This follows promises by Obama to reach out to the Muslim world, meet with Arab leaders, and resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict. He promised during the campaign that he would make a speech from a major Arab capital within his first hundred days, and the international community is buzzing over which nation he will choose.

Even coming off Israel's offensive on Gaza and renewed spurts of hate from the Iranian regime, America is better situated than it was before. A President who understands the issues, listens to all sides, and can negotiate without surrendering actually has the opportunity to effect major change in the way America is viewed by Muslim nations.

In this interview, Obama states, "Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries."

Symbolism aside, Obama's new brand of international relations, unassertive as it may initially seem, is doing more to marginalize al-Qaeda than seven years of jingoistic and oversimplified rhetoric about terror from the Bush administration. As an organization that thrives on hate and lack of compromise, al-Qaeda has lost much of its justification now that the American president is extending a hand of friendship to the Muslim world. Obama's style of diplomacy has proven something America should have figured out years ago: that the terrorists will be defeated not by bombs but by words and commitments. The President said as much in his Inaugural Address: "We are willing to extend our hand - if you are willing to unclench your fist."

Al-Qaeda will only cease to be a threat when the Muslim world stops unconditionally disliking America (not that the Muslim world doesn't have a list of very understandable reasons for thinking so). With patience, intelligence, and solid negotiation, our new president is setting a new course.