Polad Hamidov, Trend commentator
How else the attempt by the U.S. President Barack Obama who seeks to establish relations with the Muslim world can be described: he congratulated Iranian people on Novruz, then he visited a mosque in Turkey and after the inauguration he gave first interview for a foreign audience to Al-Arabiya Arab-language television channel. In an interview, Obama reiterated the readiness of his administration to initiate a new partnership with the Muslim countries.
Moreover, on Thursday U.S. President Barack Obama will address Muslims all over the world from the rostrum at Cairo University in a historic speech which aims to open a new page in relations between the United States and Islamic world.
The content of American leader's speech is not officially disclosed, but some media outlets say Obama will present a new vision of the U.S. administration's Middle East settlement as well as measures to establish a trustful dialogue with the Islamic world in general.
Egypt has tightened security because there are many opponents of this speech. Last Wednesday Egyptian security services cordoned off an area of Cairo where Russians lived. All they were studying in Al-Azhar, largest Islamic university. Vesti TV channel reported that law enforcement agencies arrested several dozens of people. Together with the Russian nationals, students from France, Britain, Denmark, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan were also detained.
Goal of new administration
The main objective of the new Washington administration on the issue of establishing relations with the Islamic world is to find a way to the hearts of the faithful Muslims. So, to weaken extremist and terrorist organizations that oppose the United States, it is necessary to break the stereotype of confrontation between Islam and the West. No politician in the West will be able to cope with this mission as Barack Hussein Obama. Only a leader with such a name is able to break down stereotypes, as it did earlier, becoming the first black U.S. president.
During the tenure of George W. Bush junior, U.S. foreign policy did not much bother about the question of separation between "terror" and "Islam". Distrust towards Muslims and the separation of people based on religion during the period of the previous U.S. President has become the norm of "safe" life of Americans, which was largely promoted on the background of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Idea of war against terrorism
The idea of war should clearly distinguish between the enemy and all his quality. Being a strong state, you can not launch a war only because the leader of a state is a dictator and does not recognize international law. The fighting must begin on fair basis and be justified ideologically.
In the case of the Iraq campaign, these factors were not taken into account. The Iraq war was launched against the backdrop of the global struggle against terror. But "war" on terrorism has its own characteristics and not studied by modern conflict studies until the end.
The Gospel says one should be afraid from those who kill hearts than those kill body. Physical death is less frightening than the spiritual death. So, terrorism kills soul of man. The struggle against it only by military and draconian methods without a strong ideology is doomed to defeat. Therefore, attempts by Barack Obama to mend relations with the Islamic world are quite justified. They can help the United States to vindicate in the eyes of the Muslim world, to deprive the support of radical organizations against the West, to revive the American spirit which is based on the principles of the founding fathers, who have always adhered to the formula "the golden mean."
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