See Raymond Ibrahim in his recent debate with Columbia professor
Hamid Dabashi: "Islam and the West:
Clash of Civilizations?"
Criticism and
Conciliation
by Raymond
Ibrahim
National Review Online
June 4, 2009
http://www.meforum.org/2157/criticism-and-conciliation
Though he early indicated that this would be an honest,
heart-to-heart talk — "we must say openly the things we hold in our
hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors" and "let me
speak as clearly and plainly as I can about some specific issues that I
believe we must finally confront together" — Obama did not follow
through.
A heart-to-heart talk revealing what is "said only behind
closed doors" would have included any number of issues pitting the Islamic
world on a collision course with the West—from that business of jihad and
enmity for infidels, to sharia law and dhimmi status of non-Muslim
minorities, etc. — issues that have led to a majority of Americans having
a negative
view of the Muslim world.
Instead, for every mild admonishment directed at the Islamic
world, Obama immediately followed by several admissions of American
mistakes, including reactions to 9/11, which "in some cases, led us to act
contrary to our ideals." That's to say nothing of the constant adulation
he offered the Muslim world.
This double-standard is typified by the way he equivocated
on the topic of Muslim persecution vis-à-vis religious minorities, while
repeatedly gushing over how he's helping American Muslims fulfill their
zakat obligation and Muslim women wear the hijab vis-à-vis a non-friendly
American system.
All fine platitudes, including his talk of "hope" and
"change" (yes, he managed to sneak those hackneyed words in, forgetting
he's not talking to Americans) — but will any of it be effective? Probably
not — since he did not have the heart-to-heart he promised, but, once
again, sought to placate and humor, under the delusion that the problem
between the Islamic world and the West revolves around temporal issues
that can be easily ameliorated.
In the long run, of course, nothing Obama said today makes
any difference. After all, he — and the naive notion he embodies that all
conflict is a product of "misunderstanding" and the need for "mutual
respect" — is but a dot in that long continuum of stark history, one that
he neither addressed nor understands.
"In short, we need more than platitudes, or even a
"blessing" — the Arabic meaning of Barack's name — to make a difference.
We need the heart-to-heart Obama promised but failed to deliver." Related Topics: US policy Raymond
Ibrahim | 
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