[Israel National News, Israel]
Die
Welt, Germany
Can the Words of Obama Begin to Change the World?
"Obama wanted to strike the right tone for the Muslim public -
and must hope that this isn't perceived by Islamic leaders as a confession of
weakness. ... Obama laid on the table all the central themes that require dialogue. It remains to be seen whether words can in fact begin to change the world."
By Richard Herzinger
Translated
By Jonathan Lobsien
June
5, 2009
Germany - Die Welt - Original Article
(German)
Barack
Obama's speech in Cairo is being praised as a groundbreaking rapprochement with
Islam. But to reach the ears of as many Muslims as possible, the president didn't
go entirely without vague rhetorical concessions.
Obama spoke of “a
time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world.” Thus
he gave the impression that he would correct the fundamental American attitude
toward the “Islamic world.” Yet the Bush Administration never announced a war
“on Muslims.” Quite the contrary - after September 11th, Bush directly and demonstrably
visited a mosque and emphasized that the war against terror was in no small
part to protect Muslim societies which are the preferred target of the terrorists.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
DISTANCING
FROM ISRAELI POLICY OF OCCUPATION
Obama's
aura as a champion of world peace and his Muslim ancestry, however, give him a
far better chance of permeating the Muslim mind. All in all, he delivered a
well-informed, sophisticated speech about the relationship between
civilizations and religions.
More
noticeably than ever, a U.S. president was distancing himself from Israel's
policies of occupation in Palestine. Obama made clear, however, that the
Islamic world must once and for all accept Israel's existence. But the
magnitude of the threat to Israel posed by Iran and its protégés Hamas and
Hezbullah, he touched on only briefly.
Obama
wanted to strike the right tone for the Muslim public - and must hope that this
isn't perceived by Islamic leaders as a confession of weakness. After all, he
didn't spare them explicit demands for democratization and women's rights. In
Cairo, Obama laid on the table all the central themes that require dialogue. It
remains to be seen whether words can in fact begin to change the world.
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
Al Madina, Saudi Arabia:
With Obama, a 'New Beginning'
L'Orient Le Jour, Lebanon:
'Hussein' is for Bold
Liberation, France:
Obama: Speaker of Verities
The Nation, Pakistan:
Obama Must Make Real His Belief in Koranic Principles
Amal Al Ummah, Egypt:
Prince Obama and His Muslim Cinderella
Amal Al Ummah, Egypt:
If America Can Change, Why Not Egypt?
Al Araby, Egypt:
Five U.S. Presidencies is Too Long for Mubarak
Kuwait Times, Kuwait:
For an Obama on the Make, Egypt is the Wise Choice
Alhayat Aljadeeda, Palestine:
As Palestinians Await Obama's Speech, We Must Unify
Amal Al Ummah, Egypt:
Don't Be Fooled By Obama's Egypt Speech
Amal Al Ummah, Egypt:
Egypt's Comments on Israeli Nukes a Betrayal of Muslims
Al-Arab al-Yawm, Jordan:
World Must Not Fall for Obama PR Onslaught
Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
Obama: A Humble Leader Worthy of His Great Nation
Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
Obama Interview with Al-Arabiya Cause for Arab Shame
Le Quotidien d'Oran, Algeria
Arab Leaders Prefer to 'Listen to Obama's Fables'
Al Watan, Oman:
When 'Hussein' is the Most Beautiful Word
L'Orient Le Jour, Lebanon:
Stars, Stripes and the Muslim Crescent
L'Orient Le Jour, Lebanon:
Arab Leaders Should Heed Obama's Words
CLICK HERE FOR GERMAN VERSION
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US June 6,
5:20pm]
