The series of meetings US President George W. Bush is holding with leaders from the Muslim world this week have, according to Washington analysts, one overriding aim: To neutralize Muslim anger at America. Among the leaders Bush is meeting are Presidents Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia and Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine.
It definitely is a commendable step in the sense that it represents a recognition of a reality: The war on terror cannot be won by bomber fleets or bunker busters. It can be won only when the region’s hearts and minds are convinced of the rightness of American policies and actions. However, Washington makes a mistake if it thinks that Muslim feelings are hurt because their leaders are received at the White House instead of the family ranch. Another point it misses is that it is not Muslim leaders who are angry but Muslim people. Hence, tickling the egos of leaders does not do anything to stem the anger. The efforts will require actions that will be seen as addressing the real issues. What is needed from Washington is a little humility and a lot of listening.
The policy of systematic torture in US detention centers from Guantanamo through Abu Ghraib to Bagram has created an anger that needs to be taken into account and addressed. While Newsweek has retracted its story about the desecration of the Qur’an, the anger has not gone away because the same charge has come from too many other credible sources — including rights-monitoring organizations. The official reaction has always been the same: They do not reflect the American ethos, were rogue operations and corrective and punitive actions will be taken. But because of the consistency with which such reports come from wherever Muslim prisoners are thrown together with American forces, Muslims have another view: Black crimes are being committed in those facilities and they are being compounded by even blacker lies. They have noted that no one really responsible has been touched. They also remember the big lies about Iraq: its WMD and Al-Qaeda connections.
These issues have to be addressed honestly. It is not meetings that will change the perception, but honest admissions of past mistakes and a demonstrated willingness to address the problems America has helped to create. Palestine is the key issue, the key to Muslim minds. It needs to be addressed honestly. That will also mean confronting the private agendas that underpin many US policies in the region. One cannot claim to be an honest broker while swearing that he is committed to protecting the interests of one side while not objecting to the other side getting justice only if it does not harm the interest of one’s favorite, as Sen. Gordon Smith did a few days ago. Bush needs to understand that defending America does not mean attacking everyone else. By defending the rights of the Palestinians, as well as those of the Israelis, he is defending America and defending all decent Muslims who abhor the terrorists who claim to act in their name.
