Continuing with our coverage of the Arab world’s reaction to President Obama’s visit to Turkey and his outreach to the Muslim World, we’ve posted this op-ed from Syria – another Arab nation that Washington is trying to woo into turning over a new leaf.
So in the opinion of the Syrian regime, how successful was the President trip in convincing Muslims that a new era in America’s relations with the Islamic World has begun? According to this article by Rasha Issa of Syria’s strictly-controlled, state-run Tishreen newspaper, the U.S. president set the right tone, but tangible success will require him to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian crisis by – not surprisingly – coming down hard on Israel:
“Obama has promised to respect Muslims. However, this respect can only be achieved through politics that translate into reality on the ground. The most vital ingredients to this will be America’s recognition that using the military option to resolve these problems has failed, in addition to supporting the peace process, lifting U.S. military and diplomatic protection of Israel’s butchers, and avoiding the formulas dictated by them.”
“If Obama could stick to these ingredients, he would pave the way for a new era, entitled: “Trust Between America and the Arabic and Islamic worlds.”
By Rasha Issa
Translated By James Jacobson
April 9, 2009
Syria – Tishreen – Home Page (Arabic)
By way of Turkey, Obama has tried to open a new window for dialogue and cooperation with Muslims, beginning with the Palestinian Authority. He knew how to go about it: by emphasizing a two-state solution [to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis] and re-energizing the peace process in the region, he stirred the emotions of his listeners.
However, Washington’s red line when it comes to Israel was strongly present in Obama’s speech, which resulted in a lowering of expectations, particularly when Obama erected a rhetorical wall to protect “his Jewish friends,” skirting the root causes of the region’s difficulties by using “embellished” language to say: Israel is not responsible for all the problems in the region.
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