President Obama's trip to the Middle East comes at a critical time. There is a great deal of unrest and even fear in the world. Wars, violence, acts of terror occupy the front pages of all newspapers. The stalled Middle East Peace process topped by coming of power of the Rightist Government in recent Israeli elections, continuing turmoil in Iraq, the Jihadist insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iran’s nuclear ambition are problems that not only have direct effects on the lives of millions of Muslims but also equally on global economy and Peace. These complex problems are rooted in history and covered with layers of dust of failed policies driven by selfish interest, willful negligence and imperial arrogance. America’s image and standing within the world community has suffered much in recent history. Despite this legacy President Obama seems unafraid to tackle the problems head-on and restore some of America’s prestige and standing. His slogan coming into the office proclaiming “yes we can” brings hope.
His willingness to understand and acknowledge the concerns and problems within the Muslim world and reach out is refreshing and a necessary beginning. No one should have any illusions about how difficult the road ahead is for him The American political system is highly influenced if not controlled by think tanks,” special interest groups” and lobbies. Further more the US Media in recent years has been derelict in their duty to offer fair and objective analysis of news to the American public. The result of all of this has been the basis of Americas` misadventures especially in the Muslim world.
What then is needed is a radical departure from the past understanding and also approaches. President Obama is certainly signaling this. In this regard he needs and deserves a lot of help and support within US and also in the Muslim world. His decision to undertake this trip to the Arab heartland and specially to start at Cairo University engaging the youth in the Middle East is promising. It has been a routine for leaders visiting the Muslim countries from here to rub shoulders with only the leadership of these counties and hurry back. The students who are the future of their country will have a first hand opportunity to hear directly from a freely elected leader speaking to them on issues of common concern. Similarly his decision to stop in Riyadh and meet King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is quite significant.
King Abdullah since his take-over has embarked on an agenda of reform .His own challenges are not any easier than that of President Obama. To bring about any change of even a small magnitude is not easy for a society whose history is so closely intertwined with a religion. Saudi Arabia has a unique place among the Muslims, since it is the bastion of Islam by being the location of the Kaaba---the holiest place in Islam and also by being the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad. King Abdullah whose reform agenda and the efforts for Peace are hardly mentioned in the media here is the same who as Crown Prince had articulated the most comprehensive Peace Plan for the Arab-Israeli conflict. In his plan he called for a two state solution living side-by-side within 1967 borders with some security related adjustments, shared sovereignty of Jerusalem with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital and what was a highly significant departure from the often used phrase which has become a permanent part of the Peace discourse and agreements regarding the Arab/Israeli conflict—“Recognition of Israel” to a much more expansive and farsighted phrase “Normalization of Relationship” between Israel and all it’s Arab neighbors; the Palestinians “Right of Return” was also included in his plan. This plan was of course rejected by Israel, opposed by the American Jewish groups and US policy makers and barely mentioned if not discarded by the official media. President Obama will do well to dust-off the Crown Princes plan and put it on the table. Other efforts by King Abdullah to foster international Peace are hardly ever mentioned in US Media. Last year he met with the Taliban leaders in Riyadh to emphasize peaceful pursuit of the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Considering Saudi Arabia’s religious importance one can see the significance of this meeting to the Taliban who are highly conservative. This avenue again needs to be utilized more vigorously and President Obama probably has this as a reason to meet King Abdullah. Another effort of King Abdullah which hardly got any press in US was the interfaith meeting in Madrid last April when he hosted Religious Leaders of many religions from all over the world for a dialogue to promote; this included many Rabbis, priests and others.
All of this is necessary in understanding how difficult the road ahead for these leaders and also for all of us Muslims. In the name of Islam much that is wrong and morally offensive is being perpetrated by a few of its` adherents. More and more it seems that directly Islam is under attack, not from the out side as much, but from within. Some of its followers have taken upon themselves the task of "defeating the enemy”. America, Israel or even other fellow Muslims not conforming to their narrow worldview fall in this category. Incapable of making the case of the perceived and real injustices meted out to their fellow Muslims in different parts of the world where groups of Muslims are engaged in freedom struggle, except through violence and terror, the religious extremists have positioned themselves as the champions of the faith. Surely President Obama has this issue on his agenda in meeting with the Leaders of the Muslim countries he is visiting presently and hopefully more of them as he meets in the future.
As President Obama and King Abdullah meet, we the people also must pledge our support for their efforts for Peace. President Obama must hear the message from all of us that we appreciate his hand in friendship and welcome his efforts to foster peace in the Middle East based on Justice. And we totally abhor and reject this menace of extremism and violence in the name of Islam.
— Dr. Nazir Khaja is chairman of the Los Angeles-based Islamic Information Service. He can be reached at [email protected].
