Talking to the Muslim World Posted by Heather Hurlburt

Remember 5-6 years ago when you couldn't find an American official willing to appear on Arab tv of any kind?  Back then, if I remember rightly, you could find lots of conservatives as well as progressives who thought that talking to the Islamic world was a good idea.  Now, though, when President Obama goes on Al Arabiya tv, and talks about giving a speech to reopen dialogue with the Islamic world, different story.  David Frum and I have a video debate about this here, where I take the "show don't tell" position and argue that a speech should follow some substantive initiatives, not precede them; David argues that making a speech to the "Muslim world" will inevitably lead us to disregard the diversity and difference within the Islamic world and empower extremists rather than liberals and moderates.  In a wonkier vein, Michelle Dunne, Hisham Melhem, Scott Carpenter and I opined on when, how and what such a speech could accomplish over at Carnegie recently. Our collective bottom line:  clarity, honesty, modesty.  My problem:  that doesn't make a great speech.

Comments

[Don Bacon]

Remember 5-6 years ago when you couldn't find an American official willing to appear on Arab tv of any kind?

Baloney. George W. Bush participated in several interviews on Al Arabiya dating back to at least 2004. Here's a portion of one.

Well, part of the plan is for people to see a better life. And the other part of the plan is for there to be a clearly defined state so it's no longer just a two-state solution; it's "here's what the borders will look like, here's how we're going to deal with the refugees, here's how we're going to deal with the different, complicated issues," so people could actually see and analyze, do I want this, or do I want what's happening in Gaza, for example? And given that choice, I'm confident, having met a lot of Palestinians and know the Palestinians fairly well, about how people just want peace. They want their children to grow up in peace and they want to be able to make a living.

Interview of President Bush by Al Arabiya TV
5/12/2008

[Dan Kervick]

Apparently, one very prominent member of the Obama administration may not be 100% behind the new talking and engagement craze. The re-appointment of Gates was puzzling on many levels, the most puzzling of all being Obama's conclusion that he was elected to bring "continuity" to national defense policy.

Thanks a lot to Brian Katulis and Nancy Soderberg. They are the Democratic Foreign Policy viziers who really got the ball rolling on the Keep Gates movement. Gates, feeling the blowing winds of political change, made few nice speeches garnished with Democratic themes about failed state nation-building and economic support, and that was enough to wow them.

Of course, the "prosperity agenda" trumpeted by Katulis and Soderberg is now a moot point anyway. Obama's domestic and global economic policy for the next few years has evolved, quite rationally, into a "prevent utter collapse" agenda. Propping up failing states with economic aid? The states Obama is going to have to worry about are in Eastern Europe, where they are already seeing major anti-government protests. Some of them may decide to go back to Communism once the ravages of the current debacle set in fully.

By the time the ship is righted, and the administration has the cash to invest significant funds in failed state makeovers, Gates will probably be long gone. But not before he has time to scuttle the opening to Iran.

[Givenchy Handbags]

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account

[Gucci Necklace]

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account

[cheap coach bags]

Great comments! You are so nice, man! You never know how much i like'em!

[coach handbags]

You have written an excellent blog that has convinced me to read this! Excellent Job!

[sesli sohbet]

Very informative and trustworthy blog. Please keep updating with great posts like this one. I have booked marked your site and am about to email it to a few friends of mine that I know would enjoy reading

[güzel sözler]

Simdi şarkı sözleri sitesinde ozgun icerigimizle tek geceriz. ek olarak menüde şebnem ferah şarkı sözleri - hadise şarkı sözleri - serdar ortaç şarkı sözleri teoman şarkı sözleri - yeni çıkan albümler - sagopa kajmer şarkı sözleri gibi cesitlerde bulabilirsiniz

[John]

I had thoroughly gone through your blog, i liked it & i also understood the power of blogging. Now i decided to start my own blog. I had never been interested in keeping a blog until I saw how interesting yours is, now I am inspired! By the way I will also be using the same plug-ins which you are using.

[FFXIV Gil]

Are you fighting in Final Fantasy XIV for FFXIV Gil or Final Fantasy XIV Gil?
Can you suffer yourself being called newbie in FFXIV Gil game?
Are you seeking unofficial Buy FFXIV Gil cheats or Final Fantasy XIV guides in order to make Final Fantasy XIV Gil faster?
Can you get millions of Cheap FFXIV Gil in one day?
Even if you know how to farm Buy Final Fantasy XIV Gil you have to prepare enough Final Fantasy XIV Power Leveling first to buy height class Final Fantasy XIV Items, to upgrade your Final Fantasy XIV characters.
FF14 Gil Then why not Buy FFXIV Gil from us?
In Final Fantasy XIV it's the fastest way FF14 Gil,for you to get rich. We are online 24 hours a day ready and 7 days one week to power up your FFXIV Gil accounts with FFXIV Gil. Here is the best place for the Final Fantasy XIV Online players to buy your Final Fantasy XIV Gil.
We are the professional website in FFXIV GIL sale.FFXIV GIL here,We are professional FFXIV Power Leveling online. We update price every single day to make sure we are the lowest in the market.(we don't compare price with scam sites which uses unbelievable low price to deceive.)
Our slogan:Cheapest price, Fastest delivery, Best service! Final Fantasy XIV GIL
In the 2 years we are in this field , FFXIV GILbuilt many business with tens of thousands of customers. They are very satisfied with our service.So if you want to get a log of Cheap FFXIV Gil ,no doubt ,come to our website to buy. Our customer service is ready for you on line now!(WWW,GM MMO,COM Sell FFXIV Gil)

[rossignol axium ski]

Hello. Great job. I did not expect this on a Wednesday. This is a great story. Thanks!

[pandora canada]

Although these pandora jewellery precious metals were mostly used pandora bracelets to represent social and political pandora canada ties in the past, religion was pandora charms actually one of the first reasons.

[Doll Penny]

Moving on to a even worse conditions. I went inside a wardrobe and shot these photos from white iphone 4 during very poor lighting conditions.

[wholesale replica handbags]

i like your opinion. 2291 Peek A Boo Bag, m41526 Speedy 30, 1112, m40249 artsy mm, M45257 Messenger Bag, M40156 Neverfull MM, m40144 Tivoli GM, 6089, 211943 sukey, New Jackie

[Style thrill]

That�s Too nice, when it comes in india hope it can make a Rocking place for youngster.. hope that come true.