Monday, December 15, 2008

Shortly after assuming the presidency, Obama plans to give a "major address" in a Muslim capital. On that point, here's an excerpt from a great piece by Amir Taheri:
Most Muslims still regard him as one of their own: His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were Muslims, as was his stepfather - so he is deemed a Muslim by birth and thus a member of the ummah (the community of the faithful), unless and until he formally disowns his male ancestors' faith. If he were truly a convert to Christianity, he would have replaced his Arabic and Islamic first and middle names - Barack (blessing) and Hussein (beautiful) - with baptismal Christian names.

The president-elect should have better advice on religion with international politics. America faces groups and states that divide mankind into religious blocs and seek domination for their own Islamic camp. Obama shouldn't endorse that division but instead make it clear that his nation will fight any force that tries to impose its hegemony in the name of any faith or creed.

Finally, Obama should know that Islam is torn by several interconnected theological and political conflicts: Sunnis vs. Shiites, modernists vs. traditionalists, despots vs. democrats, moderates vs. radicals. There is, in fact, no such thing as "the Muslim world" that he can address as a single unit (let alone seduce into adopting America as a friend).

Click here for to read the entire piece

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