We endured the usual, predictable rants by angry old men who raved about the evil of the Crusades, the evil of American hegemony, the evil of Zionist conspiracies, and negative reporting by an evil Western media. There was precious little mention of evil Muslims. The incapability of internalization, even to some minor degree, the approach of ‘the other’ was starkly apparent as cleric after cleric began to sing from some tattered hymn sheet of victimhood and despair. It is an attitude, a demeanour, that many Muslims are themselves tired of. Talking up the extremism of the West conveniently carpets over the extremism in parts of ‘Dar al-Islam’, and if there is one thing that Obama’s speech, not many miles away, ought to have highlighted, it is the complacency of Muslim societies themselves to recognize and deal with the elephants in their room.

Obama, unintentionally perhaps, spoke of America and Islam in terms of an enduring dichotomy which in and of itself presupposes a relationship that has to be understood in terms of an ‘us’ and a ‘them’. Yet, as I learned in Damascus, there is no America just as there is no Islam; there are merely ‘little americas’ and ‘little islams’, where shared ideals and a sense of common purpose often emerge not between governments but among civil societies. President Obama’s achievement in Cairo, and perhaps the potential achievement of Damascus also, was the creation of a connection between two ideological divides. In an ideal scenario, this should now lead to a new understanding of Islam and Muslims among the wider American public, as well as a new understanding of America and Americans among a Muslim public too. In a perfect world, these brave new words ought now to manifest themselves into a brave new world.

Sayyed Nadeem Kazmi, The BrItslam Partnership

“…failed to include among the innocents the 1400 Palestinians recently killed in Gaza…” Haddad sees violent extremists such as Hamas fighters as innocents?

“…he failed to note that all settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law…”
Is that so? Not everyone agrees. Some may be illegal while others may not be.

Omid Safi: “…Many Muslims were offended that there was no mention of the recent Israeli atrocities in Gaza…”
To go into Israels war against Hamas in Gaza would have necessitated delving into Hamas’ actions that started the war and into Hamas’ crimes against International Humnanitarian Law directed at its own people as well.

I think everyone knows what Obama means by the term “violent extremists”. He gave notice but in a non-confrontational way.

Safi: “…Obama’s words were historic, brilliant, almost perfect. Now comes the hard part of following up on the beautiful intentions and the inclusive words: righteous and courageous action that brings all those of good will together…”

Agree strongly.