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A President Who Listens, Learns and Leads
It seems so simple when President Obama says it. You listen to him and you say, "Of course!" He knows it too. His greatest talent is to be able to confront the truth in a manner that manages not to offend, even if one does not like that truth. He says "this cycle of suspicion and discord must end." He takes the first step. He says what everyone who has dealt with problems in the Middle East knows to be true. People do not say what they really mean to each other.
Recently at a Brookings conference in Doha on Islam I found myself going to panel after panel listening to people of all faiths express their views. Then over meals, many would say exactly the opposite when they had no fear of being recorded. Obama addressed this head on. "I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors. And he quotes the Koran, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." "That is what I will try to do - to speak the truth as best I can..." he said. Later he would add, "America...will say in public what we say in private to Israelis and Palestinians and Arabs. We cannot impose peace. But privately, many Muslims recognize that Israel will not go away. Likewise, many Israelis recognize the need for a Palestinian state. It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true."
More importantly, Obama is not afraid of religion. He is completely comfortable talking about it. He has no religious prejudice. He is totally pluralistic. He is knowledgeable about religions other than his own, and he is -- and this is the key word -- respectful. Often, leaders who harbor suspicions or lack of understanding toward other faiths will engage in platitudes rather than take a chance on alienating anyone. Not this president. He knows that without understanding religious issues there is no chance of accomplishing anything near peace.
He can say assalaamu alaykum and make it sound as if he had not been standing in front of a mirror practicing all day. He can talk about zakat, Muslim charity, with ease. He can quote the Qur'an, the Bible and the Talmud with equal enthusiasm. He can honor Moses, Jesus, and Muhammed, by saying "peace be upon them" without being self conscious.
His speech was clearly directed toward Muslim. This was, however, not a speech about religion or policy. It was a speech about understanding and respect. He addressed every key issue unflinchingly. But by combining his comfort and knowledge of religion and confronting the often difficult truths about the politics he showed Muslims and the rest of the world what true respect really is.
For more commentary on Obama's speech to the Muslim World, go to the Saban Center at Brookings' Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World and the Doha Network.
By
Sally Quinn
|
June 5, 2009; 8:31 AM ET
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Posted by: AbuNawas | June 10, 2009 11:55 PM
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bobojake,
huh? you think obama is a bad speaker? a poor communicator? wow...you must be a bad listener. even people who disagree with him concede his communication skills.
Posted by: walter-in-fallschurch | June 7, 2009 11:04 AM
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obama is an inconsiderate incompedent marxist LIAR and I don't believe a word his teleprompter utters. opinion I think obamas brain is scrambled from all the coke and if he can't read it off the teleprompter he can't remember what his thugs told him to say.
obama is even incoherent with all the words he tries to read from the teleprompter half the time and the other half he talks in circle and lies and says nothing.
Posted by: bobojake | June 7, 2009 1:51 AM
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We pray to Allah that peace will restore in the world and specially in our county Pakistan. Here in sawat(Pakistan) about more than 3 million people had to leave their homes and are currenlty living in horrible condition , the world must come out to help these people.
Learn and clear your misconceptions about Islam. http://islam-faq.blogspot.com
Posted by: spreadpeaceandlove99 | June 5, 2009 2:53 PM
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ooopps again.
In order to Realize a Peacefull "NEW ..." THEN;
"Russia + China + Japan [simultaneously] should also Attack (once & for All) NORTH-KOREA! ASAP!
Sorry? But it could happen in less than a Year. It's like removing a 'Bandage' slowly instead of Fastly!
Imagine NO N. Korea but a United Korea!
Imagine NO Shia NO Sunni Islam but a United Mid/Near East!*
Then Finally Human(s), aka potential HU{e}MATE(s) will be "Free at Last, Free At Last" & the real "Promised-Land" , aka Holy Cosmic Nebula-Built S.pace-S.hip Earth will be able to persue OUR Apocalyptic, not their Pre-Apocalyptic,
Space-Forth & Future-Bound Activity's.
* Contrary to Shia Islamics killing Sunni Islamics is unheard-of to see Religious Orthodox Jews killing Religious Ultra-Orthodox Jews. It is unheard of to see Reformed Jews killing Liberal Jews.
Yes We can! Yes We Can! O Allah, Ishvara, YAWH, Almighty, theRock, G-D...!
Posted by: InterfaithNation | June 5, 2009 10:36 AM
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Ooopps.
Or: OR, Sunni SAUDi Arabia + Iraq should Attack Shiat Iran & the mixed Multitudal Coalition + Pakistan should [simultaneously] Attack Afghanistan/Iran!
Note: It takes War to bring about PEACE (by any name).
Posted by: InterfaithNation | June 5, 2009 10:13 AM
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Hello again Sister Sally & CO.;
ON: Converting the TALiBAN's & CO. & "What To Do Next" about IT faithfully:
For there to be any genuine "HEALiNG OF THE NATiON(s)", aka genuine Forgiveness, Then "IT IS TiME" for Others, whom are in a position/Authority to plead w/Al Islam et al. THEN,
The Next time Aegypt's "Secular?" Prez Mubarak or Saudi's "Theocrat" Abdullah (not Jordans Monarch Abdullah) visits Us in sweet sweet U.S.A., that They (Muslom Leaderships) should get-up on the American Podium (for ALL the World To Hear), like Brother OBAMA boldly did thereat candidly, and
genuinely/Sincerely/Candidly finally give a real Apolagy by looking directly into the Camera's eye, not indirectly, and from HEART-Talking, tell S.S. Earth what their Jihadist-Islamic finatics deliberately perpetrated by their own citizenz by declaring War on America on 911 & for Al-Islam shamefully/wrongly celebrating , in their streets & homes, such atrocity/acts of "Terrorism" in the name of Islam.
Suggestion: From Saudi MECCA/KABBA Wahabbi King ABDULLAH should demand of All Musloms & Non-Musloms alike (a NEW WORLD EXPERiENCE? like) to Turn-In All known or potential Anti-HUAMNiTY Conspirator's Today, not Tomorrow & thus be rewarded!
Note: Osama Bin Laden is DEAD! So no need to ask his own gang to 'turn him in'.
PEACE, PAZ, Mir, SALAAM, SHALOM, Zingyu, Ahimsa..
Posted by: InterfaithNation | June 5, 2009 10:01 AM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
Firstly, the problem exists between ARABS and the US government.
The fact that the US government and its cheerleading war-mongering media (like the one here) insists on framing the conflict between Muslims and America is an indication of prejudice and bigotry on their part.
What US government cheerleader Sally Quinn says is that Obama's speech is going to make the US violent occupation of Iraq vanish along with its many military bases installed in our region that are threatening our peace of mind.
All the dead people the US government murdered in Iraq are going to live again.
Let history record that US policy is unjust and that it is forced on us by the use of coercion and violence.
Down with imperialism and long live freedom.