OBAMA-A new face for American diplomacy (Salon)

[kpete]

A new face for American diplomacy

Barack Obama is perceived by Muslims abroad like no other candidate. He would begin a presidency with tremendous potential to heal U.S. relations with much of the world.

By Hooman Majd

Feb. 21, 2008 |

When I was in Tehran, Iran, a year ago, I was asked by several senior government officials, including former President Mohammad Khatami, what to make of Barack Obama's candidacy for president of the United States. The young senator from Illinois was still barely on the international radar then. My response was that I couldn't see Americans nominating, let alone electing, a black man whose middle name was Hussein. My answer, clearly wrong in hindsight, stirred smiles and raised eyebrows among the Iranian leaders because they'd had no idea that Obama had a Muslim father. Even more surprising to them was that he carried, apparently without shame, a Muslim name. From Khatami this elicited an "Ajab!" -- Farsi for, essentially, "You've got to be kidding!" There were also many nods of agreement with my conclusion about Obama's chances.

At this point in the presidential race, although it is deeply heartening that I was so wrong in my judgment of American voters, Obama's great potential to connect with the Muslim world, and to change how Muslims perceive the United States, is conspicuously absent from our national debate. A crucial question about who should be the next president is whether Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain is most likely to be able to heal the rift between the U.S. and much of the rest of the world, a rift not created but dangerously widened by the administration of George W. Bush. What is abundantly clear now -- at least to many foreigners and particularly to Muslims in the Third World -- is that Barack Obama is the candidate by far the best suited to begin healing that rift and restoring America's global reputation, and perhaps even to begin reversing decades of anti-Americanism. Obama would begin a presidency with a huge advantage in terms of world perception.

Here in America, Obama's personal connection with Islam -- slight as it is in truth -- has provoked some telling atmospherics. His Muslim name, and even his perceived Muslim past -- a fiction peddled by Fox News last year and quickly debunked by other media -- remains an issue for some Americans. Some voters freely (and shamelessly) admit to pollsters that they are "uncomfortable" with a candidate who might have Muslim sympathies or sensitivities. During one of the Democratic debates, Obama's own response to a question on this issue was overly cautious and, frankly, disappointing. He denied ever having been a Muslim -- but he neglected to point out, Seinfeld-like, that there would be nothing wrong with that. Indeed, there continues to be a lingering sense in this country, a sense that played into my conclusion in Tehran, that Muslims are by definition enemies of the West.

..............

Rightly or wrongly, Obama, who opposed the Iraq war from the start, simply will not be viewed as having the same attitude. This is not just because he's the son of an African immigrant or that he's black, although those elements certainly factor in, but also because he does not come across as (nor is he) someone from the privileged American class who believes America should impose its wishes on the rest of the world.

more at:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/02/21/obama_muslims/

[Angela Shelley]

1. Sounds good! ... and what about the rest of the population?

How many of the roughly 300 million people in the US believe that "America should impose its wishes on the rest of the world"?

American Diplomacy starts with the POTUS, but if the CITIZENS aren´t willing and able to respect the rest of the world´s population as "equal", there won´t be any changes.

[Scurrilous]

2. Great article.

K & R :thumbsup:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. branding Muslims as terorrists by George Bush hasn't done the US any good

it unfortunate that Muslims and people with Muslim sounding names like Indians are viewed badly by this country. Fortunately, as this article says Obama although not a Muslim can be a bridge to new negotiatations around the world. Obama has always been interested in international relations, he studied this at university and has an unique view of the world which is not shared by the likes of Bush, Cheney who are out for oil and profit. I think also being on the foreign relations committee http://obama.senate.gov/ gives him an edge over his rivals. Unfortunately, the GOP already have their attack plan to brand him and his wife an enemies of the United States if he becomes the nominee. Hopefully, Mr Barack will be ready for them.

[blogslut]

4. Thanks kpete

Nice to see one of your awesome posts, here in crazytown. :)