MEMRI
'Al-Sharq Al-Awsat' Deputy Editor Praises the Obama Administration For
Taking the Initiative to Remove the Term 'Islamic Terrorism' From Its
Documents and Official Transactions
In a May 12, 2010 op-ed titled "Why Didn't Obama Mention Islam?" in the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, the paper's deputy editor-in-chief, Osman Mirghani, commented on how U.S. President Barack Obama's administration is dealing with recent terrorist operations in the U.S., contrasting it with his predecessor George W. Bush's handling of similar incidents. He notes the
Obama administration's move to "remove the term 'Islamic terrorism' from its
documents and official transactions," explained that the U.S. is "no longer
responding to extremist voices" calling for targeting the terrorists' home
countries, and enumerates other changes made by the administration.
He concludes by stating that Obama is definitely trying to "confront the
negative stereotype of Islam' as he promised to do in his June 2009 speech
at Cairo University.
Following is the article, in the original English.
Obama "Avoided Mentioning Islam in Discussing the Terrorist Operation"
"There is a huge difference between the way the Obama administration dealt
with the recent terrorist operations and the way the administration of
former president George W. Bush dealt with similar operations. Obama's
administration, on all levels, was eager to deal with American-Pakistani
Faisal Shahzad's attempt to blow up a car in Times Square in New York with a
lot of deliberation and without hastily issuing statements, also avoiding
any suggestions of a link between terrorism and Islam.
"After the failed terrorist attack, Obama said that his country would not be
intimidated and that the investigations will seek to determine if the
suspect in the case had links to 'foreign extremist organizations.' He did
not once refer to the religion of Faisal Shahzad and avoided mentioning
Islam in discussing the terrorist operation."
"Obama Spoke About [the Failed Christmas Day Bomber] As a Member of the
Al-Qaeda Organization – But [Not] About Him Being a Muslim"
"A few months ago, following the botched attempt of Nigerian Umar Farouk
Abdulmuttalib to blow up a U.S. airliner over America on Christmas Day,
Obama spoke about the detained terrorist as a member of the Al-Qaeda
organization but he did not speak about him being a Muslim. Even when he
spoke about Al-Qaeda, Obama noted that it was not the first time that the
network had targeted America, ignoring the links that were made in the past
between the organization and Islam or when it was put in the context of
'Islamic extremism.'
"When Major Nidal Malik Hasan killed 13 people at the Fort Hood military
base in Texas last November President Obama 'cautioned against jumping to
conclusions.' In all of his statements after that crime was committed,
President Obama focused on troop morale and the issue of psychological
pressure as a result of the war, ignoring the fact that Nidal Malik Hasan is
a Muslim and of Arab origin."
"The Obama Administration Took the Initiative to Remove the Term 'Islamic
Terrorism' From Its Documents and Official Transactions"
"The Obama administration took the initiative to remove the term 'Islamic
terrorism' from its documents and official transactions after the US
President announced that he wanted to turn a new page with regards to the
Islamic world. There is recognition today of the fact that terrorists are
benefiting from the creation of an anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim atmosphere
after any terrorist operation, and that issuing statements or taking steps
that target Muslims employed by extremist groups further spreads hostility
against the U.S., the West, and even moderate Islamic states.
"Moreover, the war on terror is a universal war; it cannot be won without
international cooperation. Terrorism does not target the U.S. alone; the
Islamic states were victims of terrorism long before it reached the American
borders."
"The U.S. Is No Longer Responding To Extremist Voices That Call For
Targeting the Countries To Which The Terrorists Belong"
"Because the policy of invading countries as a strategy to confront
terrorism cannot be followed, as this policy has human, military, financial
and moral costs, the U.S. is no longer responding to extremist voices that
call for targeting the countries to which the terrorists belong. The
identity of the terrorist does not necessarily implicate the country he
belongs to, in the same way that other adherents of the religion the
terrorist follows should not be condemned.
"The person who attempted the recent explosion in New York was Pakistani,
and it is believed that he carried out his attempt with instruction and
training from the Pakistani Taliban; this doesn't mean that Pakistan is
involved in the case or that it must be subjected to U.S. strikes, which is
what some extremist voices call for. Pakistan is engaged in a war against
the Taliban and its cooperation in the war against terror is considered
vital and necessary for fighting this disease."
"The Case Of Faisal Shahzad Destroys the Logic of Extremists... Because the
Perpetrator Comes From America Itself"
"The paradox lies in the fact that the case of Faisal Shahzad destroys the
logic of extremists from the core because the perpetrator comes from America
itself, where he lived and worked and has U.S. citizenship. Moreover, the
person who is said to have influenced his thinking is Sheikh Anwar
Al-Awlaki, who also has U.S. citizenship. More importantly, it emerged that
Major Nidal Malik Hasan and the Nigerian Omar Farouk Abdulmuttalib were also
influenced by Al-Awlaki."
"Despite Numerous Attempts by Moderate Voices, The Bush Administration
Remained Captive to the Big Stick Policy and Slogans Of 'You're Either With
Us Or Against Us,' Which Caused The Popularity Of The U.S. To Wane"
"The Al-Qaeda organization used youngsters of different nationalities in
terrorist operations, and at first it succeeded at having an impact on
America's relations with the various countries that those operatives
belonged to. The organization benefited from the atmosphere of suspicion
that prevailed in America's relations with numerous Islamic countries, just
as it exploited the anti-Islamic atmosphere in order to add fuel to the fire
of anger and extremism.
"Despite numerous attempts by moderate voices, the Bush administration
remained captive to the Big Stick policy and slogans of 'you're either with
us or against us,' which caused the popularity of the U.S. to wane, not only
in the Islamic world but in numerous countries around the world."
In His Cairo Speech, Obama "Pledged That He Would Confront the Negative
Stereotype Of Islam... There Is No Doubt That He Is Trying To Do That"
"When Obama entered the White House, his election was not a message of hope
and inspiration to America alone, but to the entire world, that welcomed the
message of change. Since day one, the new president has extended his hand to
the Islamic world; he delivered speeches from Ankara and Cairo and he
appointed an envoy from the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
"More importantly, U.S. discourse has changed, and the tendency to link
every terrorist operation to the religion of the perpetrator has
disappeared. In the speech Obama made to the Islamic world from Cairo last
year, he pledged that he would confront the negative stereotype of Islam...
there is no doubt that he is trying to do that as demonstrated by the
American discourse following the recent terrorist operations."
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