The Widening Gap between the Muslim World and America
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE: US President Barack Obama seems to be the only person of any significance in Washington who seems to understand that the game has changed for his country in the Muslim world — not just in Arab countries but also in those of Islamic faith but of different ethnic origin. Among the non-Arab parts of the Muslim world, the countries where Americans are fast losing influence are Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was lost decades ago in Iran. These four countries have a total population of 350 million, considerably more than the total for the Arab world. Why has this happened? There are several reasons for this, of these three are particularly important.
The first is the approach adopted by President Obama soon after assuming the American presidency. In a much anticipated speech delivered at Al Azhar University in Cairo on June 4, 2009 the American president said that his country’s approach to the Muslim world will be different while he was in charge of the making of foreign policy in Washington. “We meet at a time of great tension between the United States and the Muslim world — tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate,” he told his Cairo audience. “The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a cold war in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought about by modernity and globalisation led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.”
President Obama promised to change these attitudes. “I’ve come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, 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 dignity of all human beings.” » | Shahid Javed Burki | Sunday, June 05, 2011
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Barack Obama Seeks to Mend US Ties with Muslim World
THE GUARDIAN: Americans are not your enemy, president tells Arabic cable TV network al-Arabiya
Watch Guardian video here | Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Gay Sons of Allah: Wave of Homophobia Sweeps the Muslim World
To identify anyone trying to use homosexuality as an excuse to get out of military service, army doctors ask to see photos or videos showing the recruits engaging in sex with a man. And they have to be in the "passive" role. In Turkey being in the active role is considered manly enough not to be proof of homosexuality.
SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In most Islamic countries, gay men and women are ostracized, persecuted and in some cases even murdered. Repressive regimes are often fanning the flames of hatred in a bid to outdo Islamists when it comes to spreading "moral panic."
Bearded men kidnapped him in the center of Baghdad, threw him into a dark hole, chained him down, urinated on him, and beat him with an iron pipe. But the worst moment for Hisham, 40, came on the fourth day of his ordeal when the kidnappers called his family. He was terrified they would tell his mother that he is gay and that this was the reason they had kidnapped him. If they did he would never be able to see his family again. The shame would be unbearable for them.
"Do what you want to me, but don't tell them," he screamed.
Instead of humiliating him in the eyes of his family, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of $50,000 (€33,000), a huge sum for the average Iraqi family. His parents had to go into debt and sell off all of their son's possessions in order to raise the money required to secure his freedom. Shortly after they received the ransom the kidnappers threw Hisham out of their car somewhere in the northern part of Baghdad. They decided not to shoot him and let him go. But they sent him on his way with a warning: "This is your last chance. If we ever see you again, we'll kill you."
That was four months ago. Hisham has since moved to Lebanon. He told his family that he had decided to flee the violence and terror in Baghdad and that he had found work in Beirut. Needless to say he didn't disclose the fact that he is unable to live in Iraq because of the death squads who are out hunting for "effeminate-looking" men.
In Baghdad a new series of murders began early this year, perpetrated against men suspected of being gay. Often they are raped, their genitals cut off, and their anuses sealed with glue. Their bodies are left at landfills or dumped in the streets. The non-profit organization Human Rights Watch, which has documented many of these crimes, has spoken of a systematic campaign of violence involving hundreds of murders.
Restoring 'Religious Morals'
A video clip showing men dancing with each other at a party in Baghdad in the summer of 2008 is thought to have triggered this string of kidnappings, rapes, and murders. Thousands of people have seen it on the Internet and on their cell phones. Islamic religious leaders began ranting about the growing presence of a "third sex" which American soldiers were said to have brought in with them. The followers of radical Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, in particular, felt the need to take action aimed at restoring "religious morals."
In their stronghold, the part of Baghdad known as Sadr City, black-clad militiamen patrol the streets, on the lookout for anyone whose "unmanly appearance" or behavior would make it possible to identify them as being homosexual. Often enough long hair, tight-fitting t-shirts and trousers, or a certain way of walking were a death sentence for the persons in question. But it's not just the Mahdi army who has been hunting down and killing gay men. Other groups such as Sunni militias close to al-Qaida and the Iraqi security services are also known to be involved.
Homosexuals in Iraq may be faced with an exceptionally dangerous situation but they are ostracized almost everywhere in the Muslim world. Gay rights organizations estimate that more than 100,000 gay men and women are currently being discriminated against and threatened in Muslim countries. Thousands of them commit suicide, end up in prison, or go into hiding.
Egypts Starts to Clamp Down
More than 30 Islamic countries have laws on the books that prohibit homosexuality and make it a criminal offense. In most cases punishment ranges from floggings to life imprisonment. In Mauritania, Bangladesh, Yemen, parts of Nigeria and Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Iran convicted homosexuals can also be sentenced to death. >>> Juliane von Mittelstaedt and Daniel Steinvorth | Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Muslim World Readies for Obama's Speech in Cairo
BBC: Barack Obama Launches Key Mid-East Mission
US President Barack Obama has arrived in Saudi Arabia at the start of a Middle East tour aimed at increasing US engagement with the Islamic world.
Mr Obama will spend a few hours in Riyadh before heading for Egypt, where he will make a keynote speech in Cairo.
He says he wants to revive Mid-East talks and overcome misapprehensions.
As he arrived, a recording said to be by al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden accused Mr Obama of planting seeds to increase hatred of the US.
Apart from a stop-over in Iraq in April, this is Mr Obama's first time in the region since becoming president. >>> | Wednesday, June 03, 2009
THE WASHINGTON POST: King Abdullah Greets Obama in Saudi Arabia: New Bin Laden Tape Airs Just After President's Arrival
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – American flags are hanging next to the green banner of the Saudi kingdom on the street-light poles of this desert capital, a celebratory nod to the arrival of President Obama, who on Wednesday landed here to begin a five-day tour through the Middle East and Europe.
Obama will hold a day of meetings with King Abdullah on Iran's nuclear program and the dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process, among other issues, before traveling to Egypt to deliver what is being billed as a major address on the American relationship with the Muslim world.
At a tarmac welcoming ceremony, Obama was greeted by the 84-year-old Saudi leader. The two strode down a red carpet lined by ranks of Saudi soldiers, U.S. and Saudi flags flying taut in a brisk, dry wind. A military band then played "The Star-Spangled Banner."
The leaders were then scheduled to travel to King Abdullah's farm at Jenadriyah, not far from Riyadh. The king hosted a dinner there last year for then-President George W. Bush featuring an Arabian horse show and a falconry exhibition. >>> By Scott Wilson, Washington Post Staff Writer | Wednesday, June 03, 2009
leJDD.fr: Le monde arabe attend Obama
"Changer les relations [des Etats-Unis] avec le monde musulman." Tel est l'objectif de Barack Obama, lors du discours qu'il prononcera au Caire jeudi. Irak, Iran, Afghanistan, Proche-Orient... la liste des sujets sur lesquels le président américain est attendu est longue. Ces derniers jours, Barack Obama a accentué la pression sur Israël. Mais le monde arabe attend désormais des actes.
Barack Obama a presque tenu sa promesse. Durant la campagne présidentielle, le candidat démocrate promettait de prendre la parole devant un "forum" musulman majeur au cours des 100 premiers jours de sa présidence s'il était élu. Le nouveau pensionnaire de la Maison blanche le fera jeudi, avec plus d'un mois de retard. Après un détour par l'Arabie saoudite mercredi, Barack Obama prendra la parole jeudi sur le campus de l'université du Caire. "Je veux saisir cette occasion pour délivrer un message plus large sur la façon dont les Etats-Unis peuvent changer, pour le meilleur, leurs relations avec le monde musulman", a-t-il déclaré la semaine dernière, alors qu'il recevait le président de l'Autorité palestinienne, Mahmoud Abbas, à Washington.
Le choix du Caire ne doit rien au hasard. Rare allié américain dans la région, l'Egypte est le premier pays arabe à avoir conclu la paix avec Israël. "Le choix de l'Egypte est le message. Barack Obama choisit un pays arabe modéré - et de surcroît au coeur du processus de paix israélo-arabe - pour prononcer son discours. C'est aussi un signe positif envoyé à Israël", analyse pour leJDD.fr, Courtney C. Radschn, responsable du site de la chaîne de télévision émiratie basée à Dubaï, al-Arabiya. Chawki Freïha, rédacteur en chef du site d'informations sur le monde arabe Mediaarabe.info, va plus loin. "En choisissant l'Arabie saoudite et l'Egypte, Barack Obama privilégie le front anti-iranien, celui des Arabes modérés qui ont peur de l'influence croissante de l'Iran et de la Syrie dans la région." Le choix du Caire vise surtout à rassurer les pays arabes modérés, qui craignent de faire les frais de la politique d'ouverture vers l'Iran - et de fait la Syrie - prônée par la Maison blanche. >>> Par Marianne ENAULT, leJDD.fr | Mercredi 03 Juin 2009
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La main tendue d'Obama au monde musulman
VISITE | Le président américain Barack Obama a entamé à Ryad une visite au Proche-Orient, placée sous le signe de l’ouverture envers le monde musulman et la quête de la paix entre les Arabes et Israël, s’attirant les attaques du chef d’Al-Qaïda.
Le point d’orgue de sa mini-tournée sera son discours de réconciliation à l’adresse du 1,5 milliard de musulmans dans le monde qu’il prononcera demain jeudi au Caire, après huit ans de tensions sous son prédécesseur George W. Bush.
Cette ouverture de l’administration Obama au monde musulman a suscité l’inquiétude d’Israël, alors que les relations entre les deux alliés traversent un moment délicat en raison des divergences sur la relance du processus de paix avec les Palestiniens. L’avion présidentiel s’est posé vers 14 h 20 locales (13 h 20 suisse) à l’aéroport international de Ryad, où M. Obama effectue sa première visite.
Le président américain a été accueilli au pied de l’appareil par le roi Abdallah. Les deux hommes se sont embrassés avant de se diriger au milieu d’une haie d’honneur vers une estrade pour écouter les hymnes nationaux des deux pays. Ils devaient ensuite tenir des discussions bilatérales. >>> AFP | Mercredi 03 Juin 2009
Barack Obama on Landmark Mission to Rebuild Ties with Muslim World
A T-shirt on sale in Cairo to mark Mr Obama's Middle East visit. Photo courtesy of TimesOnline
President Obama’s arrival in Saudi Arabia today marks the first leg of a landmark Middle East visit to reach Muslims and mend ties damaged under the eight-year Administration of his predecessor, George Bush.
The three-day visit, including an address to the Muslim world at Cairo University tomorrow, is seen as a vital step in his efforts to relaunch peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians.
Mr Obama has signalled that he will take a more even-handed approach than Mr Bush, who gave Israel a free hand to expand the growth of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Israel has bridled at US demands that it should freeze all construction in the settlements and East Jerusalem. Ehud Barak, the Israeli Defence Minister, flew to Washington last night to lobby the US President one more time. Israel says that the half million Jews who live in the territories cannot be prevented from having children, marrying or building houses.At the outset of his trip Mr Obama issued his sternest warning yet to Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister. “I believe that strategically the status quo is unsustainable when it comes to Israel’s security,” Mr Obama said in an interview with the US broadcaster NPR.
“Over time, in the absence of peace with Palestinians, Israel will continue to be threatened militarily and will have enormous problems on its borders.”
He said that the sobering message to Israel was meant as a friendly warning. “Part of being a good friend is being honest,” said the President, who held talks with Mr Netanyahu last month at the White House. Mr Netanyahu has refused to accept the idea of an independent Palestinian state, which Washington sees as a cornerstone of Middle East peace. >>> James Hider in Cairo | Wednesday, June 03, 2009
THE NEW YORK TIMES BLOGS – THE CAUCUS: Obama Says U.S. Could Be Seen as a Muslim Country, Too
HAHN, Germany — As President Obama prepared to leave Washington to fly to the Middle East, he conducted several television and radio interviews at the White House to frame the goals for a five-day trip, including the highly-anticipated speech Thursday at Cairo University in Egypt.
In an interview with Laura Haim on Canal Plus, a French television station, Mr. Obama noted that the United States also could be considered as “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world.” He sought to downplay the expectations of the speech, but he said he hoped the address would raise awareness about Muslims.
“Now, I think it’s very important to understand that one speech is not going to solve all the problems in the Middle East,” Mr. Obama said. “And so I think expectations should be somewhat modest.”
He previewed several themes and objectives for the speech, which aides said the president intended to tinker with — and rewrite — aboard Air Force One during his 12-hour flight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“What I want to do is to create a better dialogue so that the Muslim world understands more effectively how the United States, but also how the West thinks about many of these difficult issues like terrorism, like democracy, to discuss the framework for what’s happened in Iraq and Afghanistan and our outreach to Iran, and also how we view the prospects for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” Mr. Obama said.
The president said the United States and other parts of the Western world “have to educate ourselves more effectively on Islam.”
“And one of the points I want to make is, is that if you actually took the number of Muslim Americans, we’d be one of the largest Muslim countries in the world,” Mr. Obama said. “And so there’s got to be a better dialogue and a better understanding between the two peoples.” >>> By Jeff Zeleny | Tuesday, June 02, 2009
LE FIGARO: Obama en campagne dans le monde arabe
Un commerçant du Caire a présenté lundi une plaque souvenir qualifiant Barack Obama de «nouveau Toutankhamon du monde». Crédits photo : Le Figaro
Le président américain amorce mercredi soir en Arabie saoudite une tournée qui sera marquée par un grand discours, jeudi au Caire, en direction des musulmans.
C'est une «conversation» peu ordinaire qui va s'engager cette semaine entre l'homme le plus puissant de la planète et plus d'un milliard de musulmans. Depuis l'époque de sa campagne électorale, Barack Hussein Obama, chrétien, métis, mais fils d'un musulman du Kenya, a lentement mûri le projet de s'adresser aux peuples d'islam pour regagner leur cœur et entreprendre de tisser une nouvelle relation entre eux et l'Amérique, après des années de frustrations et d'incompréhension.
L'heure est venue. Jeudi, entre les murs accablés de chaleur de l'université du Caire, qui le reçoit avec la participation de l'université islamique al-Azhar, puissance co-invitante, le président Obama prononcera un discours très attendu à l'attention des opinions publiques musulmanes, avant de gagner l'Europe pour des visites du souvenir hautement symboliques au camp de Buchenwald en Allemagne, puis au cimetière de Colleville en Normandie. Il veut effacer le grand malentendu de l'époque de l'administration précédente qui en était venue à confondre trop souvent islam et terrorisme islamiste. Il a toujours pensé que le choc des civilisations n'est pas inéluctable. Il l'a déjà dit lors de son discours d'investiture, puis dans une interview à la chaîne al-Arabya et dans son adresse devant le Parlement turc en avril. Il va le répéter haut et fort pour tenter d'apaiser cette haine de l'Occident qui agite le Moyen-Orient, notamment sa jeunesse, cible privilégiée de son appel au dialogue. «Obama veut convaincre la rue musulmane que l'Amérique a changé, il estime que le terrorisme islamique est une question cruciale pour la sécurité nationale, qui va bien au-delà de la question du conflit israélo-palestinien», décrypte un diplomate français. >>> Laure Mandeville, Envoyé spéciale du Figaro à Riyad | Mardi 02 Juin 2009
Obama, you are trying to brush off the differences between Muslims and Christians by stating that Muslims are “just like us”; they “simply have a different religion”.
Who are you trying to kid, Mr President? Whose eyes are you trying to pull the wool over?
It just so happens, Mr President, that the ‘religion’ of Islam is not only a proselytizing religion, but it is an expansive, belligerent religion, too – a 'religion' on a mission to take over the world! Because of weak politicians like you, Mr President, they are doing a pretty good job of it, too. And, Mr President, if you have forgotten, it happens to be the ‘religion’ which attacked the United States on 9/11! Have you forgotten that, Mr President? Or are you just conveniently forgetting it, perhaps because you don’t have the balls to deal with reality?
BBC: US President Barack Obama will give a long-awaited speech on US relations with the Muslim world on a visit to Egypt, the White House has announced.
He will travel to Egypt on 4 June and a day later arrive in Germany for a visit to Dresden and the site of the Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald.
During his election campaign, Mr Obama promised to make a major speech on ties with Muslims early in his presidency.
Egypt arguably represented "the heart of the Arab world", a spokesman said.
In Turkey last month, the president declared that the US was not at war with Islam and he called for a greater partnership with the Muslim world.
Right from the start, Barack Obama has made clear he wants to rebuild relations with the Muslim and Arab world, the BBC's Jonathan Beale reports from Washington.
With so many events in so short a space of time, it is going to be a carefully choreographed trip, our correspondent says.
'Extending the hand'
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked if Egypt was an appropriate venue for the speech, given its poor record on human rights.
"The scope of the speech, the desire for the president to speak, is bigger than where the speech was going to be given or who's the leadership of the country where the speech is going to be given," he replied.
"This is a continuing effort of the president to engage the Muslim world," he added.
"All of this gives the president the opportunity hopefully to extend the hand to those that in many ways are like us but simply have a different religion." >>> Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I Will Have Credibility with the Muslim World, Says Obama
ARAB NEWS: JEDDAH — Dr. M. Umer Chapra, an eminent economist, social scientist and the winner of the King Faisal International Prize, has urged Muslims to identify the reasons for their decline. After making vitally important contributions to civilization for several centuries, the Muslim world went into decline and Chapra would like for the lost glory to become a reality once again.
Addressing a ceremony held at the Jeddah Hilton Sunday night to launch his latest book “Muslim Civilization: The Causes of Decline and the Need for Reform,” Chapra urged Muslim governments and societies to give top priority to establish justice and equality. “No society can progress without justice,” he added. Identify Causes of Decline, Scholar Tells Muslims >>> By P.K. Abdul Ghafour | May 20, 2008
BBC: The UK's envoy to Pakistan has expressed "deep concern" over comments by a Pakistani minister about Sir Salman Rushdie's knighthood.
Religious Affairs Minister Mohammad Ejaz ul-Haq had said the honour meant a risk of suicide attacks because Muslims believed Sir Salman had insulted Islam.
