A New Beginning
President Barak Hussein Obama’s address to 1.5 billion Muslims around the world from a podium of Cairo's Al-Azhar University exceeded the expectations of the Muslims of the United States and elsewhere. It has come as a relief to people longing to hear gentle words from an American president, It is a relief because the image of Obama’s predecessor is still deeply embossed in minds of millions of American Muslims and billions outside as callous and excessive. Muslims felt relieved and free yesterday again in the USA as they did before 9/11, from wire tapping to investigating mosque goers seemed to end at the time of speech and we are free once more in America.
The message of the President was clear as crystal but short on any lucid road maps. From a request to end stereotype, to freedom of Palestinians, all issues were well crafted in speech, but without any clear policies, but nevertheless we the Muslims still welcome it with great zeal; after all we have faced unsympathetic conditions under Bush administration and we are at a point where something is better than nothing.
Mr. Obama tapped on seven precise issues, from confronting the violent extremism to the need of nuclear use for peaceful purposes only, each interrelated on which tension between the Muslim world and the US needed to be lectured.
Obama's message was unambiguous that the US would confront the extremists where ever they may be, but also made it palpable that US is not seeking any military bases in the Muslim world, breaking the image of America as an imperial nation trying to colonize the Muslim word. Speaking realistically on current situation, Mr. Obama accepted unapologetically that the war in Afghanistan was a dire need to fight the threat to humanity, while Iraq war was purely of choice.
While proclaiming that American bond with Israel is "unbreakable", it was a great relief to Muslims to hear from a US President that Israeli settlements are nothing more than illegitimate. Although Muslims craved for tougher lines on Arab-Israeli issue and an apology for unmerited support for Israel in the past. Muslims however accepted the soft words as an ice breaker in a dead lock issue of Palestine, which is awaiting a fair resolution for last 60 years.
The speech was fairly crafted but with flaws as is any other speech of a politician. Obama stressed on Palestinian violence of "Shooting rockets at sleeping children or blowing up old women on bus" but left short on speaking of Israel's brutal atrocities of recent chemical bombing on Gaza, but needless to say a new beginning require some flexibility and we the Muslims are willing to give Obama all it takes to end the crisis fairly.
Delivering the message of peace by speaking the words from the Koran, Torah and Bible, Obama ended his speech on positive notion and doing so brilliantly, but the tough part is yet to come. The Muslim world is eager to see as to how strongly he will push to put his views in practical basket. Nonetheless, it is the first step and Muslims around the world awaiting the results and I am sure the rest of the world is awaiting a positive response from Muslim world.
President Barak Hussein Obama’s address to 1.5 billion Muslims around the world from a podium of Cairo's Al-Azhar University exceeded the expectations of the Muslims of the United States and elsewhere. It has come as a relief to people longing to hear gentle words from an American president, It is a relief because the image of Obama’s predecessor is still deeply embossed in minds of millions of American Muslims and billions outside as callous and excessive. Muslims felt relieved and free yesterday again in the USA as they did before 9/11, from wire tapping to investigating mosque goers seemed to end at the time of speech and we are free once more in America.
The message of the President was clear as crystal but short on any lucid road maps. From a request to end stereotype, to freedom of Palestinians, all issues were well crafted in speech, but without any clear policies, but nevertheless we the Muslims still welcome it with great zeal; after all we have faced unsympathetic conditions under Bush administration and we are at a point where something is better than nothing.
Mr. Obama tapped on seven precise issues, from confronting the violent extremism to the need of nuclear use for peaceful purposes only, each interrelated on which tension between the Muslim world and the US needed to be lectured.
Obama's message was unambiguous that the US would confront the extremists where ever they may be, but also made it palpable that US is not seeking any military bases in the Muslim world, breaking the image of America as an imperial nation trying to colonize the Muslim word. Speaking realistically on current situation, Mr. Obama accepted unapologetically that the war in Afghanistan was a dire need to fight the threat to humanity, while Iraq war was purely of choice.
While proclaiming that American bond with Israel is "unbreakable", it was a great relief to Muslims to hear from a US President that Israeli settlements are nothing more than illegitimate. Although Muslims craved for tougher lines on Arab-Israeli issue and an apology for unmerited support for Israel in the past. Muslims however accepted the soft words as an ice breaker in a dead lock issue of Palestine, which is awaiting a fair resolution for last 60 years.
The speech was fairly crafted but with flaws as is any other speech of a politician. Obama stressed on Palestinian violence of "Shooting rockets at sleeping children or blowing up old women on bus" but left short on speaking of Israel's brutal atrocities of recent chemical bombing on Gaza, but needless to say a new beginning require some flexibility and we the Muslims are willing to give Obama all it takes to end the crisis fairly.
Delivering the message of peace by speaking the words from the Koran, Torah and Bible, Obama ended his speech on positive notion and doing so brilliantly, but the tough part is yet to come. The Muslim world is eager to see as to how strongly he will push to put his views in practical basket. Nonetheless, it is the first step and Muslims around the world awaiting the results and I am sure the rest of the world is awaiting a positive response from Muslim world.
