Hope for better Muslim-US ties

[Uthman]

KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister has expressed hope that the new United States administration will review policies relating to bridging the Muslim-United States divide.

“They will have to serve for the better interest of the US and all of us,” Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said in his keynote address at the United States-Islamic regional forum yesterday.


He said the Muslim world and the United States could not avoid addressing issues relating to Palestine and the invasion and occupation of Iraq, that fuelled disenchantment and unhappiness, if they had a genuine desire to bridge the divide.


Abdullah said political factors were the main causes to the problems faced by the Muslim world and the United States.


He said what actually led to problems between the Muslim world and the US were related to conflicts in the Middle East, the long standing Palestinian issue and the invasion and occupation of Iraq.


He said often it was convenient to blame religion for terrorism because it helped to avoid discussing the root causes.


“Religion can be employed to inspire and strengthen resolve, just as some use secular ideologies for their purpose. As with nationalism and patriotism, religion can be used to define identity when the adversary is of another faith.”


Abdullah said he believed that to effectively narrow the divide between the Muslim world and the United States or the West, both sides must work hard to nourish the strengths that united them.


“We need to focus on the many principles that we share, and the numerous interests that are common,” he said.


Source

[Uthman]

:bump1:

[DAWUD_adnan]

I hate this separation, in no way do Islam and what the US holds contradict. Freedom to practice religion is established in the US right?

That's all Muslims ever asked for.

It stupid to see people on tv having debates, " Am I american or Muslim?" stupid, stupid question.

You are both. There is nothing wrong with it. People have been, for centuries.

End rant. :D

[SixTen]

But, a large proportion of americans (even more so, regarding the government) don't seem to have the best of interests at hand for the muslims. You'd be surprised just how much anti-islam, americans can be. Not generalising, but also, not going to undermime certain obvious issues.

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[KAding]

But that works both ways unfortunately.

I think this is an equally valid claim:
But, a large proportion of <Muslims> don't seem to have the best of interests at hand for <America>. You'd be surprised just how much <anti-American>, <Muslims> can be. Not generalising, but also, not going to undermime certain obvious issues.

[SixTen]

No doubt, considering America invaded Afghanistan/Iraq - I mean, how do you justify slaughter of millions of muslims, by what a few terrorists did?

[KAding]

No doubt, considering America invaded Afghanistan/Iraq - I mean, how do you justify slaughter of millions of muslims, by what a few terrorists did?

The Americans did not "slaughter millions of Muslims". Both these countries were in de facto civil wars. Muslims were already slaughtering Muslims, the US merely got involved by choosing one side of the other. Characterizing the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan the last few years as "Americans" slaughtering "Muslims" quite frankly ignores the facts on the ground.

[SixTen]

The Americans did not "slaughter millions of Muslims". Both these countries were in de facto civil wars. Muslims were already slaughtering Muslims, the US merely got involved by choosing one side of the other. Characterizing the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan the last few years as "Americans" slaughtering "Muslims" quite frankly ignores the facts on the ground.

Hold up, are you suggesting, the invasions were based on muslims killing muslims? I hope you realise how fallacious that is. The wars, fact is, were justified through means of security. Muslims know however, the invasion of either Afghanistan or Iraq, does not provide U.S. with security, except in the form of control of the lands - which is unjustified, in that they themselves had nothing to do with the attacks to begin with.

It would be like, USA bombing Pakistan, and they (Pakistan) retaliate by invading Canada. What did the canadians do?