Obama extends hand to Arabs

[skyknight]

So President Obama decides to do one of his first interviews on Arabic TV. At first I was not sure what I thouhgt about this, I am a true Conservative by nature, I do not consider myself a Republican mind you. So what to think about all of this....did the President betray us by doing this? Surprisingly my answer is no....

It has to happen this way, President Bush could not back down unless he was to appear weak. It has to be a new President that extends the olive branch and the time may be right. Mind you though, Obama needs to act like a merciful warrior and not a retreating coward. perception in this matter is very important, the Arab culture is very much about perceptions.

As far as us leaving the Middle East...to some degree perhaps but not a total pull out mind you. To deny we have both political and economical ties to the region is foolhardy. We need them as they needs us, we make strange bedfellows but unfortunately for the time being we are in this together.

We must not concede nor back away from such dictators as those that currently run Iran. President Obama needs to show these people that the US has not lost its backbone....we need to leave with the image that a blood debt has been paid. We lost 10,000 between the towers and the war...you lost well over 500,000. In my mind that is a fair trade and I hope a lesson was learned. Attack sovereign American Soil and they will elect another hammer to come back and destroy another million people. Obama needs to make this point very clear as well....we want peace, but if that is not possible then we unleash the hounds of war back upon you and yours.

So all in all I think this may be a good thing, I firmly agree with President Bush not backing down...he played his part as it needed to be played. his reputatation may suffer in the short term but I believe history will tell a much different story if a biased media allows the true results of what he did come to light. But now it is time for our current president to play a new role, a stern father like figure who is not afraid to punish but is also not afraid to forgive. Let Obama use his silver tongue to negotiate a lasting peace....I think an example and has been made in the Middle East. Though some of those dictators may still rattle sabers deep down they know if we come back that we could end their entire way of life. They will not say this....nor would I since pride is my major sin as well...but they know it.


President Obama has his work cut out for him, we will have to make some concessions as well but those must not be viewed to display weakness and they must also not undermine those things which we hold dear. At the same time he must demand change in the Middle East and be prepared to back those that will answer a diplomatic call by using force if neccessary. It is possible a new era could be coming around, perhaps not, do not think this era started with President Bush though. What happened during President Bush's watch was coming sooner or later. For fifty years that blister has been festering, it was only a matter of time before it popped, it was inevitable. What is not written out is where we go from here....I have a hidden touch of optimism that some in the Middle East are as tired of death and destruction as some of us over here are as well. If they can begin to police their own then perhaps we could have peace in out lifetime....somehow I think it is going to take a nuclear exchange before that happens but I pray the example that has been set opens all of our eyes to where we are headed if we do not get this figured out soon.

[J4Jandar]

I heard some where that the ultimate goal of a warrior is to eventually lay down his sword and never need to fight again. I firmly believe in this.

To want to go to war is insane. When all other options are exhausted and war is the best solution, only then do you fight.

Too many brave men have been lost during war and I am afraid not enough have been replenished. Seeing our young men and women die in combat is horrible. Seeing what our enemy, who calls us barbarians, do to the captured soldiers is even harder. Yet our own people have even despised our troops and sided with the enemy. (Janis Joplin, Jane Fonda)

I often have wondered why great powers that have risen have also fallen. In my mind they had over extended themselves. Have we? I do not think so. We have been content to lie with in our manifest destiny and travel abroad not seeking land but allegiances.

What is felling us is a lack of warrior spirit. To fight when necessary and when the need to fight no more comes, lay down your sword and be at peace. When will that time come? Who knows.

[ollie]

Originally Posted by skyknight

...We lost 10,000 between the towers and the war...you lost well over 500,000. In my mind that is a fair trade ... But now it is time for our current president to play a new role, a stern father like figure who is not afraid to punish but is also not afraid to forgive.

Luckily, President Obama seems to understand that US is not inherently superior to other nations. For example:

Originally Posted by President Obama

My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy ... We cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what is best for them...

[skyknight]

Quite agreed, I will be extremely happy when the US is not needed to respond to every crisis in the world. For example Rowanda was our cross to bear for not interfering and the international community let us know it. Why is it not Swedens cross or Britians instead? I will be overjoyed when we are no longer asked to go to war on others behalves at every single turn. We have done that far to many times in the last hundred years or so.

[ollie]

I think these are two different issues: first, aggressive actions that are taken against the will of the international community and/or international law (for example, the most recent Gulf War (and no, I'm certainly not claiming that the UK was any better)); second, a lack of aggressive action that international opinion/law sanctions.

The US has a self-image as the world's policeman. Its actions do not match this image. Here's hoping that Obama has a just, ethically oriented foreign policy and that what he says matches what he does. Personally, I hope that policy will include interventions and not isolationism. The US is powerful and that power can be used for good. Admitting that this has not always been the case in the past is a very encouraging first step from the president, continuing the quotation in my last post:

Originally Posted by President Obama

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.

[skyknight]

Well one of three things....

Either everyone thinks I am dead wrong on this pretty much...

Or

Everyone thinks I hit the nail on the head....

Or

People are so glad the election is over no one wants to talk politics anymore

Well except Ollie, who's opinion I appreciate very much.....its wrong mind you...but I appreciate it none the less

[J4Jandar]

I am more on the "Tired of arguing" end of the spectrum. I respect everyones individual position. Even though I might not agree with it, I just do not feel like convincing the world. My wife LOVES to discuss her individual position into the ground so I am spent.

[ollie]

Originally Posted by skyknight

Well except Ollie, who's opinion I appreciate very much

I disagree! You're wrong. Wrong, I say! You shouldn't appreciate it. I'm just some arsey Brit who's over here taking your jobs and stealing your women. You should put me on ignore.

Sign me up for the willing-to-argue-about-anything-for-about-a-hundred-posts-more-than-is-reasonable category. I did almost mange to resist this thread, but you managed to hit at least three separate points that rile me.

EDIT: Take-home lesson for today: once you get a title you like, shut up so that it doesn't get changed.

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by ollie

I disagree! You're wrong. Wrong, I say! You shouldn't appreciate it. I'm just some arsey Brit who's over here taking your jobs and stealing your women. You should put me on ignore.

Sign me up for the willing-to-argue-about-anything-for-about-a-hundred-posts-more-than-is-reasonable category. I did almost mange to resist this thread, but you managed to hit at least three separate points that rile me.

So, is it bad that when I read your posts I hear them in the voice of Mr. Humphries from Are You Being Served? ?

[ollie]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

So, is it bad that when I read your posts I hear them in the voice of Mr. Humphries from Are You Being Served? ?

It could be worse I suppose. Hmmm, I was going to give an example, but then couldn't come up with one. Perhaps it couldn't be worse. I can't persuade you to switch to Fry or Laurie? Or, better yet, Brian Blessed.

[J4Jandar]

Ollie, everything is alright. You have not stolen my job nor my woman. I am married. Have at them!

This discussion is all relative. From what I have read in other threads you are an intelligent and informed person who feels passionately about a certain idea or group of ideals. This is why the world will never see world peace. Too many folks who are passionate in their beliefs. Like my wife has told me before. "If people thought like me, there would not be any problems!" Then I told her of the twilight zone episode where a man thought similarily and the world was filled with clones of him subsequently driving him insane but I digress.

[ollie]

Originally Posted by J4Jandar

Ollie, everything is alright. You have not stolen my job nor my woman. I am married. Have at them!

This discussion is all relative. From what I have read in other threads you are an intelligent and informed person who feels passionately about a certain idea or group of ideals. This is why the world will never see world peace. Too many folks who are passionate in their beliefs. Like my wife has told me before. "If people thought like me, there would not be any problems!" Then I told her of the twilight zone episode where a man thought similarily and the world was filled with clones of him subsequently driving him insane but I digress.

Phew, I thought I was being annoying, but knowing that I'm merely the sole reason we don't have world peace is comforting.

I should probably point out for the record that I brought my own woman with me. It's a trade-off. While it does mean that I don't get to steal your women, two of us can more efficiently take your jobs.