Winning
the Hearts and Minds of the Muslims
Shocked at the rise in negative attitudes
in the Muslim world towards the United States
President George Bush appeared at the Islamic
Center of Washington late in June to try
to repair the damage. In his hastily arranged
presentation he called for “moderate”
Muslims to speak out against “extremists”
who are Islam’s “true enemy.”
He also announced that he was appointing
a special envoy to the Organization of Islamic
Conference, a 57-member body, to demonstrate
to the Muslim communities “our interest
in respectful dialogue and continued friendship.”
“This enemy falsely claims that America
is at war with Muslims and the Muslim faith,
when in fact it is these radicals who are
Islam’s true enemy,” he claimed.
Against the background of constant bombings
in Afghanistan that has generated a record
for killing children, and in Iraq where
people are killed and maimed everyday, Bush’s
statement must have had a hollow ring to
the listeners in the Muslim world.
Not very long ago the world was told that
a “crusade” has been launched
against “radical Islam” and
the military action that followed the declaration
victimized largely innocent Muslim civilians.
Just about everywhere Muslims see the “crusade”
as an assault on them designed to destroy
Islam.
In a number of his speeches, including the
last State of the Union, President Bush
used the term “Islamo-fascists”
to condemn “Islamic radicals.”
Using this name-calling word is tantamount
to labeling Muslims Nazis or “niggers.”
Bush paved the way for others to refer to
Muslims in this disparaging way including
on the floor of the Congress and in the
pages of the New York Times by columnists
such as David Brooks and Tom Friedman.
Muslims are left wondering what exactly
the term “Islamic radicals”
mean. Using pejorative terms analogous to
“niggers” may have worked in
another age, with another people, but unlikely
to do so at the present time. It certainly
would not appeal to the hearts and minds
of the people in the Islamic communities.
The latest public opinion survey released
by Pew Research shows that the Muslim trust
in America has fallen further since the
last poll taken about a year ago. The dislike
for America is widespread and the level
of trust is at the lowest level not only
in the Muslim world but in Europe and much
of Asia as well.
Alarmed by the negative perception of the
United States in the Muslim world President
Bush appointed Karen Hughes, a close confident
in the White House, an Undersecretary of
Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy
about a year ago. Despite her public relations
efforts she has not been able to reverse
the slide. She undertook a visit to the
Middle East, meeting selected prominent
leaders under a glare of publicity, but
that had no impact on people’s perceptions.
Earlier, the current administration created
a TV network, Hurriyah, beamed to the Middle
East with “objective news and analysis”
to compete effectively with Al-Jazeera.
In the opinion of the people in the region
it is seen as a crude American propaganda
with hardly any credibility at all. An Arab
version of MTV has also been broadcasting
for sometime and that too does not make
much of an impact.
For some reason the policymakers in Washington
cannot believe that American actions, its
foreign policy in the area, is related to
its unpopularity. The talk of democracy
and human rights sounds hollow to most people
in view of the destruction of Iraq, the
gruesome activities at Abu Ghraib, the practice
of “rendition,” the horrors
of Guantanamo and starvation of the Palestinian
children.
The assorted dictators and tyrants who rule
the Muslim countries are intensely disliked
by their subjects and yet they are given
accolades as allies by the United States.
These self-imposed leaders are openly criticized
as “puppets” of America but
the message is ignored. In his speeches
Bush refers to them as “moderate”
Muslims though they are some of the most
oppressive rulers in the world. Amnesty
International lists them as major violators
of human rights.
In the war on Lebanon last summer despite
worldwide plea President Bush refused to
rein-in Israel. Instead, he kept on repeating
the mantra that “Israel has a right
to defend itself” and that it only
wants to “degrade Hezbollah.”
In defiance of the world opinion Washington
airlifted arms and munitions to support
the Israeli war effort. The weapons supplied
included the notorious anti-personnel bombs
that Israel dropped on Lebanon in the waning
days of the war.
These bombs have taken a severe toll on
the Lebanese civilians with casualties inflicted
almost every day. The Muslims maimed and
injured can hardly be expected to have positive
feelings about America, let alone a place
of affection as they cry out in agony.
There is hardly any Muslim in the world
that does not have distain for the American
foreign policy in the Middle East. Just
about everyone wants justice for the Palestinians.
Yet Washington does not see anything wrong
with its total support for Israel.
For over sixty years America has blindly
supported the dispossession of the Palestinians,
the theft of their land and the oppression
under occupation. It has orchestrated the
isolation of the Palestinians, their beatings
and their daily humiliation. The weapons
supplied to the pernicious enemy have killed
not only the Palestinians but other Arabs
as well. Yet these Muslims are expected
to cheer for America.
When Muslims are maligned daily, tortured,
starved and humiliated, their religion disparaged,
religious text desecrated, their lands bombed
and occupied, it is very difficult to see
how their hearts and minds could be won
over.
