Saturday, 22 September 2012


Inside Story
What now for Muslim-Western relations?
As protests over an anti-Islam video spread, we ask what should be done by both sides to stem the anger.
Inside Story Last Modified: 22 Sep 2012 06:11
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Muslim-Western relations are under the spotlight again after widespread protests over an anti-Islam video made in the US and cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published in a French magazine.
"There remains this misunderstanding of the other .... Whilst we're discussing a film and ... the riots we saw on the various media, actually I think it is about neither. This is all about the dynamics of power, about a people that feel that they are still being seen as lessers of an equal. And therefore any criticism that is directed towards them or their faith ... is seen as an insult, not just as a mere constructive criticism or something that ought to be taken in their stride."
- Anas al-Tikriti, the CEO of the Cordoba Foundation
Western diplomatic missions in Muslim countries are on high alert as the protests spread.
In Pakistan, the government declared Friday a national holiday to allow people to protest peacefully. But there were clashes in Peshawar and Karachi, and demonstrators have tried to storm the US embassy in Islamabad but have so far been prevented by the Pakistani armed forces.
In a bid to calm public anger the US has bought airtime, to the tune of $70,000, on Pakistani television to run a series of ads.
Victoria Nuland, the US state department spokesperson, made the announcement, saying: "In the case of Pakistan, it is common and traditional to have to buy airtime on Pakistani TV for public service announcements. So in that environment, it was their recommendation that we buy some airtime to make sure that the Pakistani people would hear the president's messages and the secretary's [Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state] messages."
The US embassy in Islamabad also sent out street interviews conducted with Americans to local media with one very clear message: that the video does not represent American values.
But, according to Blake Hounshell, the editor of Foreign Policy magazine, it is unlikely that an advertising campaign like this will make any difference to those showing anger towards the US.
"It is an interesting tactic buying TV ads on Pakistani stations," he said. "I doubt it will have much impact though. These protests ... seem to be orchestrated by hardline Islamic groups that aren't really sympathetic to these kinds of messages coming from the US government. They are looking to pressure the Pakistani government and boost their own support base. So those aren't the type of people who are going to be responsive to this kind of message."
Are apologies and condemnation enough? Do these demonstrations have the potential to alter policies? And what should be done by both sides to stem the anger and improve relations?

Joining presenter Folly Bah Thibault on Inside Story to discuss this are guests: Anas al-Tikriti, the CEO of the Cordoba Foundation; David Mack, a former US diplomat; and Mehmet Kalyoncu, an advisor to the OIC ambassador to the UN.
"I think the impact is going to be an extended one ... because when people cross over from peaceful protests or even insults and then engage in violent acts, terrorist acts, kill diplomats, firebomb embassies, the reaction of my government, fully supported by the US people, is to close down those embassies. Right now students in Tunisia who want to get visas to the United States are unable to do so because the embassy is closed down."

David Mack, a former US diplomat
Source:
Al Jazeera

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We ask whether the judiciary and political opposition are agents of change in this volatile nation.
Rulers of Iran and Syria "exaggerate the significance" of the film to divert attention from their own problems.
If the anger against the anti-Islam video tells us anything, it's that extremism fuels extremism.
Fault Lines investigates the forces behind the so-called war on women in the US.
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  • valmach 5 hours ago
    Death to Freedom & Democracy.. Really? and what should we replace it with ..  Islam?... No thanks..
  • And you think mocking Muslims' Prophet is a democratic thing, idiot?
    (Edited by author 5 hours ago)
  • Yes.. I do think its fine to Mock Muslims and the Prophet , the same way I think its fine to to Mock Jesus and Christians... I saw the 14 min video.. Terrible and stupid.. and poorly made.. Unfortunately since a small group of radical crazies in Pakistan and Libya went on rampage, killing and burning their own people as well as people who were trying to help them. It makes being in those places untenable for Americans and Western Cultures.. I don't agree with everything the West does, but I certainly prefer it to living a Muslim country where its not OK to speak your mind or criticize people in power.. or religion.. What these people should be protesting about is the 3 hours of electricity they get, or their personal freedoms or why all of the aid the west sends to their governments goes to build Nuclear Weapons.. and armies..  On  this form .. Since it is located in New York.. or Washington .. you have the right & the freedom to say pretty much what you want.. so long as your not threatening or swearing.. . and on some blogs you can do that too.. It's great to be free
    (Edited by author 4 hours ago)
  • The Talmud’s words are vitriolic:
    • Only Jews are human. [Gentiles] are animals. (Baba Mezia 114a-
    114b.)107
    • For murder, whether of a Cuthean [Gentile] by a Cuthean, or of
    an Israelite by a Cuthean, punishment is incurred; but of a
    Cuthean by an Israelite, there is no death penalty. (Sanhedrin
    57a)108
    • Even the best of the [Gentiles] should be killed. ( Babylonian
    Talmud)109
    • If a Jew is tempted to do evil he should go to a city where he is
    not known and do the evil there. (Moed Kattan 17a.)110
    • Gentiles’ flesh is as the flesh of a$$es and whose issue is like the
    issue of horses.111
    • If a heathen [Gentile] hits a Jew, the Gentile must be killed. Hitting
    a Jew is hitting God. (Sanhedrin 58b.)112
    • If an ox of an Israelite gores an ox of a Canaanite there is no liability;
    but if an ox of a Canaanite [Gentile] gores an ox of an Israelite...
    the payment is to be in full. (Baba Kamma 37b.)113
    • If a Jew finds an object lost by a heathen [Gentile] it does not
    have to be returned. (Baba Mezia 24a; Affirmed also in Baba
    Kamma 113b.)114
    • God will not spare a Jew who ‘marries his daughter to an old
    man or takes a wife for his infant son or returns a lost article to a
    Cuthean [Gentile]... (Sanhedrin 76a.)115
    • What a Jew obtains by theft from a Cuthean [Gentile] he may
    keep. (Sanhedrin 57a.)116
    • [Gentiles] are outside the protection of the law and God has ‘exposed
    their money to Israel.’ (Baba Kamma 37b.)117
    • Jews may use lies (‘subterfuges’) to circumvent a [Gentile].
    (Baba Kamma 113a.)118
    • All [Gentile] children are animals. (Yebamoth 98a.)119
    • [Gentiles] prefer sex with cows. (Abodah Zarah 22a-22b.)120
    • The vessels of [Gentiles], do they not impart a worsened flavor
    to the food cooked in them? (Abodah Zarah 67b.)121
    (from David Duke, Jewish Supremacism, 2001)
    (Edited by author 3 hours ago)
  • It's a good thing that Jews don't live by the context of this book, isn't it? Why do so many Muslims prefer living by a similarly out of date book. That can produce similar unpleasant quotes?
  • I forgot you’re an atheist scumbag. You can’t be helped for you atheist scumbags are much worse than animals. Nobody can teach a simple calculus to a freaking pig, no?
    (Edited by author 4 hours ago)
  •  "Nobody can teach a simple calculus to a freaking pig, no?"
    Dont talk like that about muslims!!! hehe:-)
  • It's probably outside the freedom of speech. The perpetrator should and I guess will be persecuted within the boundaries of the law. This is how a democratic state should and does work.
  • Culture is something to rise above, not wallow in or cower behind.
    The idea that any belief or any person should be exempt from satire under threat of violence is a sign of a diseased culture and an infected mind. Those who fail to rise above the belief that they have a right to impose religion, let alone commit violence in the name of religion, are people the world can do without. All of them.
    Power and best wishes to the free-thinking people of Libya, from this American.
  • Big like.
  • lada dfdf 4 hours ago
    Muslim savages at it yet again. Why is it they always get so angry when
    it comes down to their prophet? Isnt it because muhammad was a criminal who owned and traded slaves, assassinated his
    opponents, waged wars and raped 9 year old?
  • Dont talk like that about muslims!!! hehe:-)?
    You’re an idiot, ain’t ya atheist scumbag? I was referring to an atheist scumbag like you, scumbag.
    and about this post of yours, talk all you want for atheist scumbags are much worse than pigs, ain't ya pigs? hehe...
  • When people raise their voice (in a matter that fits US interests); it is called Uprising, right to raise ur voice, arab spring etc. . And when they raise against criminal defamation of Allah and Allah's Messenger...it is called as nonsense violence.....the double standards are manifest. West backed murder of Gaddafi (and thousands of Libyans/Syrians/Egyptians) was hailed as ' Arab spring'....we all remember !!!
    How can one claim that videos does not represent American values.....most of the west including US is defending the law that allows 'freedom to insult'.
  • No.. we don't think it's nonsense , particularly when peaceful non - violent voices are raised.. But when people start to kill and murder for insulting.. then we begin to think it is nonsensical and ignorant.. Yes we allow freedom to insult.. even if the video is insulting.. My goodness .. grow up! .
  • You misunderstanding of freedom of speech, and the US Constitution, is astounding. What people do with their freedom of speech is up to the individual. If that individual decided to make a youtbue video about sniffing paint does that mean is an American value? No, that would be a ludicrous jump in logic, which is exactly what you did. You can find millions of different things on youtube, none of which are "American values." The only thing that is an "America value" is that they have the right to do it.
  •  Oh Stop with all the hypocrisy about your freedom of speech! Is this the same freedom of speech which completely ostracizes a person from society if he says anything, and I mean anything, against the state of Israel or the Jews? Is this the same freedom of speech that brands you a racist and bigot and ends up in you getting fired from a major news channel if you say whats on your mind about a certain ethnic minority?  Is this the same freedom of speech that you see on Fox news coming out of the spit spewing mouth of Bill O'reilly? And don't get me started on your "uncontrolled" media. If journalists are threatened in China or Middle East then journalists in USA are bought. All the major networks and news papers don't even print or say a word if it goes against the government storyline. The biggest proofs of that are 911 and NDAA. This reminds me... get ready to say good bye to your so called precious freedom of speech. This facade that you have created in your fantasy life is about to come crashing down on your head. We've all seen the footage of how the protestors of Occupy Wall Street movement were beaten, kicked, pepper sprayed and even shot at. A lot of those poor souls ended up in jail because they wanted to exercise their right to speech. Before it was the poor Mexicans, Muslims and African-Americans who were the target of your agencies... Now it's going to be the rest of White America, which still is pathetically unaware of what the government is doing to their beloved constitution. I guess as long as they have their GMO hamburgers and Monday-night football all else can go to hell.
    And remember one thing... For Muslims there is a not more beloved personality than that of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace and blessings be upon him). I'm sure if someone calls your mom a whore you'll probably rip that person's throat out. Just imagine that happening to us Muslims when some one makes a video like "Innocence of Muslims" or even if someone burns the Quran. It is true that we have been living under the thumb of cruel dictators for more than a century and that has made us rough. It has taken a lot of our dignity and prestige away, but we still have the grace of giving the utmost respect to Jesus Christ and Moses (Blessings be on both of them).
  •  Excellent post. Very well said.
  • I think you are confused about how American politics work. Those are the right-wingers... feel free to make fun of their Jesus any time.
    All kidding aside, I do know that Jesus and Moses are a part of your religion as well. I am just making light of the situation granted their bigotry, so I am agreeing with you to an extent. But America is far too diverse to sum us up solely by our conservative right-wing politics and Evangelical fundamentalists.
    I think it is of high virtue for Muslims to be less sensitive about their religion because, even though there is a lot of idiots out there, the vast majority of Americans don't think that way. You have this Individual make a movie that anyone could have slapped together, and the country as a whole is all of a sudden the blame. Yes, we have our own issues with prejudice against Muslims in this country, especially post-911, but the outrage towards America over this movie is just as prejudice against the rest of us who think differently.
    Stepping forward, we should see it for what it is. Individuals are to blame, not America or democracy or our freedom of speech. The same goes with the embassy attacks, they were individuals who carried out the attack, not Libyans and not Islam.
  • Those are the right-wingers? It was Obama who signed NDAA, and it's his administration that is now fighting in the courts to keep the provision for indefinitely detaining anyone anywhere. Fox could certainly be considered right wing, and the views they espouse are especially racist and fanatical and certainly not representative of many Americans, but try criticizing Israel on MSNBC or CNN and see what happens. There's a video on youtube of a US soldier not even criticizing Isra-hell, but merely saying that he was voting for Ron Paul because he didn't want to go to war with Iran and he thought the Israelis could handle their own war, and that's when CNN cut him off. There are bus ads in California that say "In the war between the savage and the civilized man, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad." Do you honestly believe that ANYONE besides Muslims could be referred to as 'savages' without public outrage? What if it were the opposite, and someone was calling Jews or Israelis 'savages'? Do you honestly believe that such an ad would last for 2 minutes? What if they were calling Native Americans 'savages'? Or black people? If you really believe that anyone could get away with that, then you are just delusional about the country you live in. But call Palestinians 'savages', call Muslims 'savages'- then it's "free speech" and we have to "die to protect it, even if we don't agree with it."
    As for the film, I don't think it's fair to say at all that "outrage at America over this movie is just as prejudiced..." For one thing, the outrage is clearly directed at the US government, as the main targets have been US embassies. And look at what the US has been doing to Muslims for the last 70 years. Of course the number one problem is America's blind, immoral, and unflinching support of Israel. Then there is all the meddling in various countries, propping up dictators and supporting them in witch-hunts, inciting (or trying to incite) rebellions and revolutions against leaders who oppose them, invading Muslim countries to secure hegemony and resources and killing millions in the process, kidnapping innocent people off the streets of various countries and sending them to black prisons to be tortured, etc. Add up all of these injuries, topped off now by a most outrageous insult, followed by patronizing admonitions to 'respect free speech', and what you have is exponentially more prejudice coming from one side than from the other. But it seems that many Americans never consider what their government sends to the Muslim world, they only see what comes back, and then ignorantly, credulously, wonder where such rage comes from.
  • So basically your claim to those who scream Arab / Muslim violence is mentioning that there are more cases of Arab / Muslim violence?
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  • b_noni 0 minutes ago
      From  twitter 6 more retweets from ahmedbinsulayem  Sanusisulaiman1  arsdhayat  Show all
    RT @AJEnglish: How can the #West and #Muslims stem the anger over the #antiIslam video? Watch @AJInsideStory | http://t.co/U6XaOcdF
  • wrldpolitics 0 minutes ago
      From  twitter
    What now for Muslim-Western relations? - http://t.co/iQOoCj4P
  • ahmedbinsulayem 0 minutes ago
      From  twitter
    RT @AJEnglish: How can the #West and #Muslims stem the anger over the #antiIslam video? Watch @AJInsideStory | http://t.co/tNIDOYUJ
  • UsmanNawaz11 0 minutes ago
      From  twitter
    What now for Muslim-Western relations? http://t.co/Zx1lgmo0
  • RafeelAhamed 0 minutes ago
      From  twitter
    How can the #West and #Muslims stem the anger over the #antiIslam video? Watch @AJInsideStory | http://t.co/qPvYjLgP
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