President Obama - First Interview to Muslims on Arabic TV: Full Transcript
Obama by NEWTONSTEIN at MINISTERS-BEST-FRIEND.com
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Barack Obama: His first 'Official Interview as President of the United States of America'.
NewtonStein Christian News & Commentary: 1-26-2009,
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Mr. President, thank you for this opportunity, we really appreciate it.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you so much.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Sir, you just met with your personal envoy to the Middle East, Senator Mitchell. Obviously, his first task is to consolidate the cease-fire. But beyond that you've been saying that you want to pursue actively and aggressively peacemaking between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
Tell us a little bit about how do you see your personal role, because, you know, if the President of the United States is not involved, nothing happens -- as the history of peacemaking shows.
Will you be proposing ideas, pitching proposals, parameters, as one of your predecessors did? Or just urging the parties to come up with their own resolutions, as your immediate predecessor did?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I think the most important thing is for the United States to get engaged right away. And George Mitchell is somebody of enormous stature. He is one of the few people who have international experience brokering peace deals.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: In choosing Mitchell Obama did NOT choose Vice-President Biden, Senator John Kerry, Sec. of State Clinton, etc. Ordinarily this would create offense to ignore one’s own “team mates” in preference to the ‘enemy’.
Thus, Obama has taught his team his devious strategies, and in with tremendous shrewdness Obama achieves several things:
> Obama appears bi-partisan & statesmen like to USA, the World & Modern-Media-Magic-land.
> Obama gains favor of Mitchell specifically, & Republicans in Congress in general. By invoking the principle “It is more difficult to attack someone who has just honored you” Obama has de-fanged Republican leader Mitchell.
> Obama realizes he has no answers [ee (1) below] so by putting Republicans in charge of this first envoy, when it achieves nothing, he can blame them and to whatever degree Obama ultimately fails in Mid-East-Policy, he can always say: ‘I erred fatally when I sowed-the-seed-of-failure by letting the Republicans go first!’
> Obama also gains some experience and valuable time to ‘try to think of something that might help this situation! END-of-NOTE]
OBAMA CONTINUES: And so what I told him is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating - in the past on some of these issues - and we don't always know all the factors that are involved. So let's listen.
He's going to be speaking to all the major parties involved. And he will then report back to me. From there we will formulate a specific response.
(1) Ultimately, we cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them.
They're going to have to make some decisions. But I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people. And that instead, it's time to return to the negotiating table. And it's going to be difficult, it's going to take time.
I don't want to prejudge many of these issues, and I want to make sure that expectations are not raised so that we think that this is going to be resolved in a few months.
But if we start the steady progress on these issues, I'm absolutely confident that the United States, working in tandem with the European Union, with Russia, with all the Arab states in the region, I'm absolutely certain that we can make significant progress.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: In naming “European Union, with Russia, with all the Arab states in the region” above, he either ignorantly, or purposefully, left out Israel.
NewteinStein asks: Is this his ‘inaugural statement to Jewish people’ that he willing to sacrifice the 4-million Jews for 1-billion-&-400 million Muslims? END-of-NOTE]
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: You've been saying essentially that we should not look at these issues - like the Palestinian-Israeli track and separation from the border region - you've been talking about a kind of holistic approach to the region.
Are we expecting a different paradigm in the sense that in the past one of the critiques -- at least from the Arab side, the Muslim side -- is that everything the Americans always tested with the Israelis, if it works. Now there is an Arab peace plan, there is a regional aspect to it. And you've indicated that.
Would there be any shift, a paradigm shift?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, here's what I think is important. Look at the proposal that was put forth by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: Are there no Americans in US Government, Academia or Institutional ‘Think Tanks’ with an equal or superior plan? END-of-NOTE]
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM INTERRUPTS: Right!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I might not agree with every aspect of the proposal, but it took great courage
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM INTERRUPTS: Absolutely!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: . . . to put forward something that is as significant as that. I think that there are ideas across the region of how we might pursue peace.
I do think that it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan. These things are interrelated.
And what I've said, and I think Hillary Clinton has expressed this in her confirmation, is that if we are looking at the region as a whole and communicating a message to the Arab world and the Muslim world, that we are ready to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest, then I think that we can make significant progress.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: What is the message Obama & Hillary are communicating to the Jewish world: that they only are the ones who need to sacrifice-for-peace? [See (2) below] END OF NOTE]
OBAMA CONTINUES: Now, Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount. But I also believe that there are Israelis who recognize that it is important to achieve peace.
(2) They will be willing to make sacrifices if the time is appropriate and if there is serious partnership on the other side.
And so what we want to do is to listen, set aside some of (3) the preconceptions that have existed and have built up over the last several years. And I think if we do that, then there's a possibility at least of achieving some breakthroughs.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: What are the “the preconceptions that have existed and have built up over the last several years” . . . [See (3) above]
. . . That Israel has sovereign rights, such as the following: right to exist in peace & safety free from scud-missile attack, right to land they achieved through honest-warfare, right to determine laws for their own citizens & those living within their national borders; are these the ’preconceptions’ Obama refutes? END OF NOTE]
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: I want to ask you about the broader Muslim world, but let me - one final thing about the Palestinian-Israeli theater. There are many Palestinians and Israelis who are very frustrated now with the current conditions and they are losing hope, they are disillusioned, and they believe that time is running out on the two-state solution because -- mainly because of the settlement activities in Palestinian-occupied territories.
Will it still be possible to see a Palestinian state - and you know the contours of it - within the first Obama administration?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think it is possible for us to see a Palestinian state - I'm not going to put a time frame on it - (4) that is contiguous, that allows freedom of movement for its people, that allows for trade with other countries, that allows the creation of businesses and commerce so that people have a better life.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: Obama gives us an “Obamism” (as compared to “Bushism” with contiguous being stated for his just-stated “time frame” [See (4) above] Simple FACT: If Palestinians are given territories where they now exist (Gaza, West Bank, Golan Heights (somewhat commensurate to Arizona-the Carolinas-&-New England in USA);
Thus if Palestinians are give a state with contiguous borders for freedom of movement among them, then by indisputable fact, Israel must be broken up into regions that do not have contiguous borders! Is this fair and just to Israel, a duly recognized sovereign by the United Nations? END of NOTE]
OBAMA CONTINUES: And, look, I think anybody who has studied the region recognizes that the situation for the ordinary Palestinian in many cases has not improved. And the bottom line in all these talks and all these conversations is, is a child in the Palestinian Territories going to be better off? Do they have a future for themselves?
And is the child in Israel going to feel confident about his or her safety and security? And if we can keep our focus on making their lives better and look forward, and not simply think about all the conflicts and tragedies of the past, then I think that we have an opportunity to make real progress.
But it is not going to be easy, and that's why we've got George Mitchell going there. This is somebody with extraordinary patience as well as extraordinary skill, and that's what's going to be necessary.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Absolutely. Let me take a broader look at the whole region. You are planning to address the Muslim world in your first 100 days from a Muslim capital. And everybody is speculating about the capital. [Smiles!] If you have anything further, that would be great.
[NEWTONSTEIN NOTE: The Interview takes an ominous turn & tone. 'Note Obama‘s complete agreement' with all that his Muslim interviewer asserts! END OF NOTE]
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM CONTINUES: How concerned are you - because, let me tell you, honestly, when I see certain things about America - in some parts, I don't want to exaggerate - there is a demonization of America.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Absolutely!
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: It's become like a new religion, and like a new religion it has new converts - like a new religion has its own high priests.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: It's become like a new religion, and like a new religion it has new converts - like a new religion has its own high priests.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: It's become like a new religion, and like a new religion it has new converts - like a new religion has its own high priests.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Right!
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: It's only a religious text.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Right!
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: And in the last - since 9/11 and because of Iraq, that alienation is wider between the Americans and - in generations past, the United States was held high. It was the only Western power with no colonial legacy.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Right!
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: How concerned are you and -- because people sense that you have a different political discourse. And I think, judging by . . .[audio fades] and Zawahiri and Osama bin Ladin and all these, you know - a chorus -
PRESIDENT OBAMA INTERRUPTS: Yes, I noticed this! They seem nervous.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: They seem very nervous, exactly. Now, tell me why they should be more nervous?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I think that when you look at the rhetoric that they've been using against me before I even took office -
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM INTERRUPTS: I know, I know.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: - what that tells me is that their ideas are bankrupt. There's no actions that they've taken that say a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education because of them, or has better health care because of them.
In my Inauguration Speech, I spoke about (5) “You will be judged on what you've built, not what you've destroyed.” And what they've been doing is destroying things. And over time, I think the Muslim world has recognized that that path is leading no place, except more death and destruction.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: Obama does what Academia always accused President Bush of doing: oversimplifying by categorizing complex issues into only black-&-white distinctive. [See (5) above] Obama’s Law declares leaders are judged by what they achieve, not what they destroy.
However, NewteinStein notes the followsing: Washington achieved by destroying British soldiers; Jefferson & Madison by sowing seeds of ideas; Jackson by destroying British at New Orleans, Lincoln by destroying those who opposed his Proclamation, U.S. Grant by destroying Rebel Soldiers, R.E Lee by destroying Union Soldiers, Teddy Roosevelt & Rough Riders the enemy at San Juan Hill, Wilson, FDR, Truman, Patton & Eisenhower by destroying Germans, Hitler is remembered by destroying Jews; Reagan by destroying USSR & Berlin Wall; ad infinitum.
NewteinStein further notes Saddam Hussein “built-up” Iraq far more successfully than most Muslim leaders build their countries. However, if Osama bin Ladin succeeds in driving Americans completely out of Iraq & returning it to Islamic Sharia Law - even if the nation is left in rubble-&-ruins-of-war, bin Ladin will become the greatest Islamic Hero of the last 500 years & maybe the next 500 as well!
Long remembered heroes of many nations & faiths are remembered most of all, for “standing strongly against evil” - whether successful at that moment or not. Of such greatness is Davy Crockett &“Remember the Alamo!” one of America‘s great rally cries! This is the immortal memory of all martyrs, and even Christ is remembered more for the Cross than the making wine for the wedding.
If Obama builds his entire Mid-East approach on his belief that building - which he defines above as giving health care & opportunity to Muslim kids, while appealing to Terrorists & Leaders to leave a legacy of building, he will surely fail. The powers of the Muslim world - Hamas, Hezbolah, al Qaeda & the Taliban - are bent on a goal of destroying Israel, the USA, Western Civilization & Christianity.
If Obama neither knows nor recognizes these ‘Islamic-self-stated-goals’ his Mid-East efforts are completely doomed, and the USA is not safe, as our leadership is asleep-at-the-wheel! END OF NOTE]
OBAMA CONTINUES: Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, (6) that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: It would be nice if Muslims understood this (6), as their leader Ayman al-Zawahiri just called Obama “a house nigger” to the world. (Click “Muslim Leader calls New Us President Obama “A house Nigger”)
For more detail see END OF NOTE]
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM INTERRUPTS: The largest one.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: The largest one, Indonesia. And so what I want to communicate is the fact that in all my travels throughout the Muslim world, what I've come to understand is that regardless of your faith - and (7) America is a country of Muslims, Jews, Christians, non-believers - regardless of your faith, people all have certain common hopes and common dreams.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: Is this (7) the ‘Obama-New-World-Order’ hierarchy for ‘Faith-Factions‘? Note in many references of the last two years, ‘non-believers’ are always last, so inherently people of faith are ranked above them.
Christians used to be stated first, but since election, we see the ‘Obamislamic Shift’ (Obam-Islamic) - his move toward Islamic Worldview & preference - whereby Muslims are now stated first, with Christians demoted to the bottom of the ‘Faith Faction hierarchy'. END OF NOTE]
OBAMA CONTINUES: And (8) my job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives.
(8) My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect. But if you look at the track record, as you say, America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that. And that I think is going to be an important task.
[NEWTONSTEIN NEWS NOTE: Really? Is this Obama’s job? [(8) above] Is this specified in the US Constitution? Is this what American’s elected his to do? We don’t think most American’s would agree to this job description. END OF NOTE]
OBAMA CONTINUES: But ultimately, people are going to judge me not by my words but by my actions and my administration's actions. And I think that what you will see over the next several years is that I'm not going to agree with everything that some Muslim leader may say, or what's on a television station in the Arab world -
- but I think that what you'll see is somebody who is listening, who is respectful, and who is trying to promote the interests not just of the United States, but also ordinary people who right now are suffering from poverty and a lack of opportunity. I want to make sure that I'm speaking to them, as well.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Tell me, time is running out, any decision on from where you will be visiting the Muslim world?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I'm not going to break the news right here.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM INTERRUPTS: Afghanistan?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: But maybe next time. But it is something that is going to be important. I want people to recognize, though, that we are going to be making a series of initiatives. Sending George Mitchell to the Middle East is fulfilling my campaign promise that we're not going to wait until the end of my administration to deal with Palestinian and Israeli peace, we're going to start now.
It may take a long time to do, but we're going to do it now. We're going to follow through on our commitment for me to address the Muslim world from a Muslim capital. We are going to follow through on many of my commitments to do a more effective job of reaching out, listening, as well as speaking to the Muslim world.
And you're going to see me following through with dealing with a drawdown of troops in Iraq, so that Iraqis can start taking more responsibility.
And finally, I think you've already seen a commitment, in terms of closing Guantanamo, and making clear that even as we are decisive in going after terrorist organizations that would kill innocent civilians, that we're going to do so on our terms, and we're going to do so respecting the rule of law that I think makes America great.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: President Bush framed the war on terror conceptually in a way that was very broad, "war on terror," and used sometimes certain terminology that the many people -- Islamic fascism. You've always framed it in a different way, specifically against one group called al Qaeda and their collaborators. And is this one way of -
PRESIDENT OBAMA INTERRUPTS: I think that you're making a very important point. And that is that the language we use matters. And what we need to understand is, is that there are extremist organizations - whether Muslim or any other faith in the past - that will use faith as a justification for violence. We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith's name.
And so you will I think see our administration be very clear in distinguishing between organizations like al Qaeda - that espouse violence, espouse terror and act on it - and people who may disagree with my administration and certain actions, or may have a particular viewpoint in terms of how their countries should develop.
We can have legitimate disagreements but still be respectful. I cannot respect terrorist organizations that would kill innocent civilians and we will hunt them down. But to the broader Muslim world what we are going to be offering is a hand of friendship.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Can I end with a question on Iran and Iraq then quickly?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: It's up to the team . . .
[OBAMA aide says only 30 seconds left]
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Will the United States ever live with a nuclear Iran? And if not, how far are you going in the direction of preventing it?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: You know, I said during the campaign that it is very important for us to make sure that we are using all the tools of U.S. power, including diplomacy, in our relationship with Iran.
Now, the Iranian people are a great people, and Persian civilization is a great civilization. Iran has acted in ways that's not conducive to peace and prosperity in the region: their threats against Israel; their pursuit of a nuclear weapon which could potentially set off an arms race in the region that would make everybody less safe; their support of terrorist organizations in the past - none of these things have been helpful.
But I do think that it is important for us to be willing to talk to Iran, to express very clearly where our differences are, but where there are potential avenues for progress. And we will over the next several months be laying out our general framework and approach. And as I said during my inauguration speech, if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Shall we leave Iraq next interview, or just -
[OBAMA Aide says: Yes, let's - we're past, and I got to get him back to dinner with his wife.]
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Sir, I really appreciate it.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you so much.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Thanks a lot.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I appreciate it.
INTERVIEWER HISHAM MELHEM: Thank you.
PRESIDENT'S FINAL WORDS: Thank you.
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