Muslims want tangible change on Mideast from Obama

"Respect for Islam"

Islam will first have to get its act together.

"a prescription for Palestinian statehood"

Stop firing rockets at Israel.

"a speedy U.S. pullout from Iraq"

But many Iraqis are worried that Iraqi security forces aren't ready yet.

" His speech Thursday from Cairo University will try to soften the fury toward the United States among so many of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims, ignited by the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the hands-off attitude toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict of his predecessor George W. Bush. "

That is the opinion of the writer. Why is this presented as factual in the article? I suppose the 9/11 mass murder and the string of islamic terrorist attacks preceding it were the result of sympathy, since only GWB created a "fury"??

So now its all the Palestinians fault. Glad you cleared that up for us sagre.

"Stop firing rockets at Israel."

As if Palistinians firing rockets at Israel happens in a vacuum devoid of cause. When the Israelis stop doing to the Palistinians what Israelis constantly remind the world the fled from, then maybe we'll get somewhere.

The rest of the world would like to see some change from Muslims. But as that world famous philosopher Michael Jagger once said, we can’t all get what we want. I suspect the new saviour is going to disappoint everybody on this one. But then that is what many of the Muslims want.

Religion creates more problems than it solves. Reasonable people are agnostic.

I want muslims to start respecting the outside world and stop being so selfish. Then maybe we can get somewhere.

Muslims want tangible change on Mideast from Obama

I'd be very concerned with this upcoming trip if I were an Israeli. Obama has a track record of throwing people under the bus.

“It’s so exciting to have a black man run the entire world,” said Awni Shatarat, 45, a clothing store owner in the Palestinian refugee camp of Baqaa in Jordan.

The entire world? Someone watches a little too much CNN...

Notice again how Islam is demanding change from the rest of the world while acknowledging none of its own faults.

Millions of Muslims in Europe struggle to win acceptance and shed the stigma of extremism

They should join in the struggle against the extremists then. But they can't, because the extremists are simply obeying the Koran.

... without sacrificing their customs.

Customs which are illegal and/or immoral, such as forced marriage, subjugation of women, homosexuals, non-Muslims etc must be 'sacrificed'. All other customs are perfectly acceptable, and to be welcomed and encouraged, in the culturally diverse free/western world.

They have fought for the right to build mosques

Fought? Mosques are springing up everywhere in the religiously tolerant free world. Contrast that with the Muslim world: in Saudi (which funds most of the mosques in the west) it's illegal to practise any religion other than Islam. And religious minorities are being increasingly harrassed/persecuted in Egypt, Pakistan, and even Obama's beloved Indonesia.

Muchakucha:

" They should join in the struggle against the extremists then. But they can't, because the extremists are simply obeying the Koran. "

That is the sticking point. That is the reason why moderate muslims never get any traction in the muslim world ... they don´t have a theological leg to stand on. That is why the e.g. the Pakistani government is in a hopeless position, having a) written the Sharia in its constitution and b) trying to keep the Taliban at bay.

But Obama is blissfully ignorant of all that. Expect him to go Egypt and once again grovel to islamic demands and then turn around make aggressive demands to Israel.

Exploiting our own petroleum reserves and pouring money into R and D to make shale oil a more feasible alternative are the only changes we need to make.

But Obama and many in his party seem to almost crave dhimmitude.

I always thought respect was earned, not demanded!

While I agree that the US can do a lot to change our image in the Middle East, it would be nice to hear the same from people there in saying that they could do a lot more to repair their relationship with the US. It's a two way street, but since Obama has taken office their attitude seems to be "Let's wait and see what Obama will do for us."

Then again I've been getting reports only through the mainstream media so it's not like I know everything about the situation. Maybe they are saying that there are changes they need to make as well.

SuperLib: if the Muslims in Cairo had admitted that they needed to change in any way whatsoever, the mainly Islamic-apologist mainstream media would've jumped on it and proclaimed it from the rooftops.

Sorry, they lost me at the Respect for Islam opening. Agreed about the "Respect has to be earned" not just given because they think their belief system is above all else.

I see one topic that is not on the agenda is the opening up of Islamic societies, specifically, support of true democracies in Islamic countries throughout the Middle East. Giving a politic voice both to average men and women. Then again, rasing such issues would upset US allies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan (the list goes on and on).

Also to Muslims (and especially those in the Middle East), I would say that before there is any moving forward with any of these issues, support of extremist gits like OBL has to stop.

timorborder:

" specifically, support of true democracies in Islamic countries throughout the Middle East. "

A true democracy in an islamic country is a contradiction in terms, since islam does not accept democracy. How could you accept that man makes law for man, when god has already given His perfect law (the Sharia)? For a pious muslim, democracy is blasphemy.

That is why islamic countries are either authoritarian (where the rulers keep a lid on the mullahs), or theocracies (where the mullahs rule).

A true islamic democracy is an infidel pipe dream.

Respect for Islam? There is very little to respect in a religion that abuses the rights of over half the people living under it's sway. The US, Japan and Europe have to kick the oil addiction by finding new sources of energy. Then we can ditch the "allies" such as Saudi Arabia, who are really enemies of everything that a modern democracy stands for.

There is only one and one way only to a permanent peace in the Middle East and subsequently the rest of the Moslem world. An all New State of Palestine should be established, consisting of Palestine, Israel and Jordan. The new state of Palestine should adopt the Parliament system whereas all parties concerned, Israel, Palestine, Jordan should have equal number of legislator, the Speaker can be Jordanian, Deputy Speaker an Israel. All citizens having equal voting rights - Palestine should be a constitutional monarchy with His Majesty King Abdullah as the King. the Prime Minister an Israeli and Deputy Prime Minister a Palestinian. Similarly all other ministries and government post be represented equally and justly - The Mufti of Palestine, The Grand Rabbi of Israel and the head of the Christian church should all work towards making Palestine a great and wonderful country.

How about some tangible changes from the muslims??? Once they learn how to be peaceful, tolerant, law-abiding, and stop trying to kill anyone who believes or acts differently than they so, then we can see some real progress in the middle east.

The line about muslims in Europe fighting for girls to wear head scarves in school is especially telling of the core problem. Muslims refuse to assimilate which is fine if they stay in their own countries. There isn't a thing Obama can do to make life better for muslims as it's the inflexibility of their religeon that causes problems in the first place

polarmalik:

" There is only one and one way only to a permanent peace in the Middle East and subsequently the rest of the Moslem world. An all New State of Palestine should be established, consisting of Palestine, Israel and Jordan. "

Oh really. And can you tell us why a muslim terrorist in Southern Thailand who is on his way to blow up a Buddhist temple would stop in his tracks when this "solution" of yours happens? Or a Sunni/Shiite terrorist in Iraq, on his way to blow up a mosque of the other party? Or a muslim terrorist in Kashmir? In the Southern Philippines (Mindanao)? In Nigeria? In China (Uiguir region)? Or in Madrid, London, or Amsterdam for that matter?

The very fact that you have bought into the notion that Israel is the problem, even for people who couldn´t locate Israel on a map, should demonstrate to you the global nature of the islamic jihad.

At least polarmalik is thinking out of the box. Although Willi has a valid point too. But if peace in the middle east is the goal how about putting a country together as polar suggests (toss in the Golan Heights) but have two governments, one Jewish and the other Muslim. Your religion determines which court system, etc. you are bound by. If you commit a crime against a citizen of the other religion you are dealt with by that religion's courts. Defense is mutual but guaranteed by the Chinese. The Chinese can run the police for a generation, they don't have any vested interests. The right of return would be given to one family member of Palistinians displaced by the wars. The rest would be offered full citizenship in various countries. East Jerusalem is the capital of the Palistinians, West Jerusalem of the Jews. The Temple Mount area is shared. Each religiion (including the Christians) are guaranteed access to their shrines and, with a few exceptions, everybody can go to any shrine.

Everybody shares the land, generally ignores the other religion, gets equal rights (and taxes) and tries to get on as best they can.

Oh, keep the Christians out of it. Two's company, three is an endless debate.

How does that work?

“It’s so exciting to have a black man run the entire world,” said Awni Shatarat, 45, a clothing store owner in the Palestinian refugee camp of Baqaa in Jordan. Wow! This refugee in Jordan forgot to add, that he was also excited because Obama (Hussein) has a Muslim name? Had a Muslim Kenyan father? Since when is Obama the leader of the entire world? Let people in Cuba etc..hear this guy and they will only laugh and/or cry again from laughing too hard, the ENTIRE WORLD?? Keep on dreaming, even that idiot George Bush did not go this far.

I always thought respect was earned, not demanded!

Well that's a two-way street. After invading Iraq on false pretences (even Cheney has given up linking Iraq with 9-11), the humiliations at Abu Garaib, the US has little credibility with the Muslim world.

Anyway, it is a mute point since American foreign policy is not in the respect earning business.

If mr.Obama goto Tehran and apologies for US support of the imperial-era,the Shah's tyranny for four decades that lead to much miserables and tragedies over iranians and goto workshipping Komeini's grave for forgivrness!That maybe easing the fury from iranians!

"Respect for Islam"

Read, "Infidels stay out of the hjoly land" !

Fair enough, but only if Islam stays put... in the holy land.