Introduction of Guest Columnist

by: Dr. Emir Caner

It is my pleasure to have Benjamin Abraham as my guest columnist today. Benjamin is a native Egyptian who has worked as an engineer in his homeland. Presently, he is a graduate student in America, studying theology. Growing up in the Middle East, Benjamin provides a keen and personal understanding of Middle Eastern politics and Arabic culture that will help Westerners understand how much of the Arabic world viewed President Obama's speech yesterday, delivered in Benjamin's hometown of Cairo.

by: Benjamin Abraham

Starting with the Islamic greeting "Al-Salamu Alaykom" (peace be upon you) and quoting from the Quran two or three times, President Barack Obama spoke to 1.5 billion Muslims extending his hand and calling for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims." Obama's main purpose of this speech is two-fold. First, Obama wants to show he is not the same as Bush; he does not have the same priorities or policies when it comes to dealing with Muslims, even if that will mean for him to propose a polar opposite policy. Second, Obama wants to create an open communication channel with Muslims based on their acceptance to him as a seeker of new beginnings with Muslims based on his Islamic roots, his ethnic heritage, and his liberal views!

Without a doubt, Obama did succeed to achieve the purpose of his speech. Before this speech, Obama's popularity among Arabs/Muslims was about 27% (Bush's was 3% at the end of his presidency period). Now and after this speech, Obama's popularity will hit the ceiling among Muslims; it might even become the best ever among all US presidents in history. Obama's speech did not offer any new solutions or proposals on the Middle East. In his trial to seek common grounds, Obama spoke in such a contextual way to communicate with Muslims in a language they understand, using their terms, saying what he thought they would love to hear. Obama did succeed to get the attention of the Islamic World. A'ed Al-Qorany, a well-known Saudi Arabian Muslims scholar, said after Obama's speech that this speech is positive and the best he has ever heard from a US president especially when he quotes from the Quran. Mohamad Alnojaimy, another well known Muslim scholar, said that this is the best speech he has heard from a western president in three decades, and the fact that Obama is quoting the Quran is a great proof that he is a good communicator with the Islamic World.

The reactions of some Muslim leaders toward this speech are worthy to be studied thoroughly. After reading many responses to Obama's speech from leaders in Hamas, Muslims Brotherhood, and Iran, we can conclude that Muslim leaders emphasize the fact that there is an explicit change between Obama's tone and Bush's tone when it comes to treating Islam/Muslims. However, these Muslim leaders were not satisfied by Obama's speech because Obama did not condemn specifically Israel's influence in the Gaza conflict or the US "invasion" in Iraq and Afghanistan; they see that this speech can be a good start for removing misconceptions between Muslims and the West, yet it does not give Muslims all what they do want.

Obama succeeded to reduce the tension of Muslims against the West, yet it seems it will not be easy or simple for him to continue treating Muslims this way. Muslims have a clear agenda, and they want to achieve it. Islam, for them, is both a state and a religion, it is a worship and a leadership; Islam must rule! When I say "Muslims have agenda," I am not talking about the vast majority of Muslim people; I am talking about the Islamic organizations and leaders who have the power and authority to decide for the Muslims/Islamic countries. I see that Obama started seeking this new beginning with Muslims by taking the other "extreme." However, he will not be able to bear the consequences; it's not going to stop at "quoting the Quran" or "saying the Islamic greeting." In a little while I think that Obama will find out that what Muslims demand is not achievable except if America bows and accept "the United States of Muslims" as a counterpart and an equal power against the United States.

As a Middle Eastern, I see Muslims trying to promote their hidden agenda everywhere. They believe in their religion as a dominant power that must rule over others everywhere, especially over the infidels in the West. Muslims, now, could be divided into three major groups. First group is a group of cultural Muslim watchers who have no power to decide for their nations, they just want to live, and they have nothing to do with what's going on worldwide. The second group is a Quranic group that thinks that this is a good start for Obama, but they will not be pleased only by this; they want the Quran and Islam to be superior over every other religion. The third group is militant Muslims who in some sense do not care at all about Obama's speech; they are already in process to achieve their determined goals in many "nominal Christian" nations: in Lebanon through Hezbollah, in Europe through their organizations especially in England, and even in America! To prove this fact about the militant Muslims, you need to read what the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in advance of Obama's speech; he said: Any statements by Obama are just words, speech and slogan. They really do not care; they are already in process/action of achieving a set of predetermined goals, and they do not have time to waste in talks or in trying to reconcile or shake hands with the West, which is something we, in the West, might need to learn!!