RSSScared Monkeys Radio Daily Commentary – Wednesday, January 28, 2009 – Why Did Barack Obama Select Al Arabiya For His First Interview?
- Dana speculates on why Barack Obama chose a Muslim TV network for his first presidential interview.
Download and Comment at ScaredMonkeysRadio.Com
President Obama, we are still a World power … should we really listen to those that do not have the United States best interests at heart?
“all too often the United States starts by dictating.”
Obama tells Arabic network US is ‘not your enemy’
Mr. President, stop blaming America. Who is who’s enemy? If some in the Arab world are not our enemies, then why is it considered an issue of US national security to stop the dependence on Arab oil?
Why does Obama feel the need to be loved in the Arab world? As most foreign countries were giddy over Obama’s Presidential victory, the Arab world has been much more cautious about the new U.S. president. Most Arabs are skeptical that American policy in the region will change substantially. Exactly how many Arabs and Muslims were liberated under George W. Bush? Obama talks about going back to the “same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world” in the days or yor some 30 years ago. Hmm … You mean like when the Shah of Iran was ousted and the Ayatollah Khomeini came to power and Americans were taken hostage. You mean that type of respect President Obama?
President Barack Obama chose an Arabic satellite TV network for his first formal television interview as president, part of a concerted effort to repair relations with the Muslim world that were damaged under the previous administration.
Obama cited his Muslim background and relatives, practically a taboo issue during the U.S. presidential campaign, and said in the interview, which aired Tuesday, that one of his main tasks was to communicate to Muslims “that the Americans are not your enemy.”The interview on the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel aired as Obama’s new envoy to the region, former Sen. George J. Mitchell, arrived in Egypt on Tuesday for a visit that will also take him to Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Obama said the U.S. had made mistakes in the past but “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.”
Posted January 28, 2009 by Scared Monkeys Barack Obama, Podcast, Politics, Scared Monkeys Radio | 46 comments |
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46 Responses to “Scared Monkeys Radio Daily Commentary – Wednesday, January 28, 2009 – Why Did Barack Obama Select Al Arabiya For His First Interview?”
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So Obama thinks that we have had good relations with the Muslim world in the past?
Ah Barry O, are you saying that we are to blame for 911?
R
Mr. Obama,
Perhaps we should have apologized to the September 11th attackers. Would this be good for you. Why do you want to sell us out?
Thats what I’m saying! When I was in high school I dressed up for a halloween party in the scariest costume I could imagine. I went as a PLO soldier. That was 1979, who was president back then?
Blame it on bush. So tired of that BS. What little this inexperienced community organizer really knows. The leader of Al-Queda has a better understanding of our history than this dufuss.
Quit pandering to the people that want us dead!
BHO announced he will talk with Iran again as well!?
Decades long sponsor of terrorism?
Wander what will come out off that!
# 4
Ooops my English: ‘wander’ must be ‘wonder’ of course.
Btw: Iran not only sponsor of terrorism but a nuclear threat to Israel and the rest of the Middle East. And… to Europe and the NATO ‘territory’ as well. (Not to mention all its direct and indirect neighbours in Asia!)
Obama passes the peace pipe to our enemies, and the more he’s convinced of their good intentions. And then we’ll be hit again.
Obama is going to get Americans killed.
All the bomb knows what to do is flap his lips and hope something that makes cents comes out.
Just wondering why it is that we accept the dictates of the non-Israeli Middle East: it is OUR obligation to “understand” (read: hand out more billions to keep corrupt governments in place), it is OUR obligation to “compromise,” it is OUR obligation to force Israel into concessions that only embolden those who hate Israel … and us.
It’s pretty clear, isn’t it, that we are the useful patsy … Israel has a pretty good sense of where its security interests lie, and has no intention of “negotiating” them away in exchange for empty rhetoric.
But Uncle Sam, well-meaning as always, can be counted on to take everyone’s word that “We want peace!”
How do we know they do? Because they say so.
Our “intervention” in the Middle East just obliges those who are all too ready to hate us anyway.
Ya didn’t tire on “blame it on clinton” now did ya #3? Maybe if you stopped reading the handfull of liberal blogs you’d perk up a bit. Maybe if you stopped listening to rightwingnut radio and maybe listened to something a bit more balanced (such as Brian & the Judge) you wouldn’t be so partisan. Doubt it though – Belittling the President of the United States seems more apropos.
Why don’t you tell us what should be done right now to bring peace in the middle east genius?
Oh no, now it begins….Remember that dog don’t hunt!
Look at what England has allowed …. and those Muslims march on the streets of London protesting America…. That better never happen here ever!!
why must we keep peace in the middle east when our country is in turmoil ? we have yet to take care of our own and now barney obama wants make friends of the muslims.
it’s ok for them to behead our people on television but we can’t waterboard ?
obama will destroy this country in less than a year. prepare for total anarchy, hold on to your guns because you will have to protect yourself and family. obama’s plan for the trillion dollar stimulus is not in the best interest of the United States. his loyalties lie elsewhere.
poor old yoyo, she still doesn’t get it.belittling the president. it was a ok for you to belittle bush but when it comes to your boy well he is your messiah.
i don’t think we are going to see photos of Obama kissing and holding hands with the Saudi dictators who fund Hamas.
this is what Bush did regularly.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l176/musiclover1992/BushSaudiKing.jpg
http://a.abcnews.com/images/International/ap_bush_saudi_080115_mn.jpg
http://oddculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/bush_saudi2.jpg
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/20071023LauraBushSaudi.jpg
altogether a pretty dumb blog article this one.
With all of the issues we have here at home, it strikes me as odd what Obama chose to address first. Closing the base in Cuba where the terrorists are currently held and giving his first interview as president to an Arab network. I think it is very telling. He seems to be trying to bank on his muslim history and connections with the same fervor he denounced them during the campaign. And he has plans to speak from an Arab capitol within his first 100 days. Where does his priorities and loyalty lay…doesn’t seem to be with the USA and Americans.
Yo Yo, thanks for the promotion to genius!
I didn’t hear a lot of “blaming it on Clinton”, I do blame him for 9-11 and I’ll bet I’m in the minority.
Although I didn’t run for president, I surley remember a lot of problems in the middle east 30 years ago. I’m even pretty sure that there was a war on Israel in the late ’60′s, It think it lasted about six days. Then there was something about 444 day hostage crisis. I also recall some Israeli olympic athletes in the mid 70′s taken hostage and murdered.
This is bringing back a lot of recollection of nonstop news stories of hijacked planes and Islamic revolutions.
I recall the world outcry when the Taliban took power in Afghanastan and murdered anybody that did not conform.
Then I recall, prior to any action taken against any Muslim country, 19 murdering fanatics ramming jet airliners into the hearts of America.
So while I’m not smart enough to tell you what the best course would be, I can certainly tell you that I am deeply offended when our president goes on Islamic television and apologizes on my behalf and blames the ill will of the Islamic extremists on George Walker Bush.
#14 Then buzz off if you don’t like it.
I guess what irks me the most is the audacity to think that he can do better than the previous administrations, though I wish him luck, he is going to need it.
Below is a response to Obamas interview from what I gather is a typical believer in Islam. I recognize their beliefs from freinds that I have had that were Muslims.
If you liberals think that peace, love and understanding is acheivable, you better get rid of your dirty movies, toss the birth control and start going to church.
“Salam: All of you are neglecting one thing. The term of Mahmoud Abbas has expired, he is no more the Prime Minister of the PA. There must be elections to decide who is to be the successor. The US will ALWAYS be with those it thinks are going to be ‘puppets’ or cow to them. Thus they are supporting Mahmoud Abbas. If the US and Israel really want something meaningful to occur, they must forget the condition that there be “Reckognition of the right of Israel to exist”, rather they should say “Reckognize that we exist and are here.” If you ask the Palestinians to say “You have a right to be here” it would be demanding them to say “All those people you killed from among us, you were justified in doing it because you were trying to protect the right for you to exist as a state.” And they, The Israelis, will walk away having committed Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Mahmoud Abbas is 100% secular and will want a Government that will want everything in Palestine to be 100% secular. This cannot be allowed by the majority muslims in the occupied lands. If you relegate Islam to the home and the Masjid only, you allow the way for muslim women to be pressured and give in to the pressure to be treated as bikini models are in the US. Males will become sex obcessed and the society will ‘crumble’. This is a matter of right and wrong, not profit and loss. Islamic law does not threaten Christians and Jews who want to live in peace and calm. It threatens only those who want to sow and spread corruption; pornography dealers and agencies, sex magazines, drug dealers, alchohol industries etc… You MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER that the US is not looking for “Human Rights” in the spread of “Democracy”. Democracy is a code word for Capitalism and Free Market structures where everything is a business. Sex is a business, Body image is a business, drugs both illicit and legal are businesses that are allowed to ‘flourish’ in the US.”
#16 I’m with you, I blame Clinton for 9/11 and I thank Bush for keeping us safe for the past 7 years.
I don’t think we need to apologize for anything and I don’t think we need to be worried about the fighting in the middle east. We need to be worried about getting our country out of this economic mess. However, I don’t mind taking care of the terrorists responsible for the attack on U.S. soil. WE cannot solve the worlds problems and we need to stop pretending that we can be friends with the Muslim countries. They do not understand the word PEACE. They only know that we are the enemy unless we plan on converting to Islam then we are always going to be the enemy.
#1 Oh you know thats right! He is a great beleiver of his mentor Rev. Wright and the “chickens have come home to roost” sermon
#16: “I am deeply offended when our president goes on Islamic television and apologizes on my behalf and blames the ill will of the Islamic extremists on George Walker Bush.”
He never apologized – that’s false. Just the latest meme from right-wing. Read the transcript.
Have Western/Muslim relations deteriorated so much that any moves towards reconciliation will ultimately be appeasement? Is the only solution the annihilation of one side or the other…or both?
“Obama tells Arabic network US is ‘not your enemy’”
Could be funny, if it was so scary.
The point is … we keep trying to reach out, and it is perceived as a sign of weakness.
But it seems to be the duty of every new president to come up with a “Middle East peace plan.”
And all the while, they are wondering how much cash they can sting us for … and how long before we will forget the promises that we are given.
Who came up with the phrase ‘Live and learn’? It seems that that is the last thing we can do….
I am apalled that MY president gave an interview to Al Arabiya. It is way too early in his tenure to be talking to them.
#19: Well good to know we know have an “expert” on 9/11 here such as yourself. Maybe you, as an expert, can enlighten us on the different findings you have on 9/11. Because one congressional probe and a two-years-long bipartisan commission all agree that fingers could be safely pointed at at least three entities: the terrorists, for launching the attacks; and both the Clinton and Bush administrations, for acting too timidly to stop them – despite all the warning signs.
Maybe you can link us to your specific findings Michelle?
Wow – Racist towards muslims I see. How sad for you. Narrow minded and pathetic actually Michelle.
We are friends with many of the 40+ muslim countries. Take for instance Turkey. 99% Muslim with a population of 70+ million. We are friends with Turkey right?
Michelle: “WE cannot solve the worlds problems and we need to stop pretending that we can be friends with the Muslim countries. They do not understand the word PEACE. They only know that we are the enemy unless we plan on converting to Islam then we are always going to be the enemy.”
You are a racist and a bigot Michelle. Sad.
btw. some Americans are Muslims too.
or are they terrorists….
____________
SM: I hardly think one goes on Arab TV to talk to American Muslims.
The most puzzeling aspect of this TV interview was that Obama being a Muslims was an off limits topic during the campaign. If you dared bring it up, you were hateful. Now he goes on foreign TV and talks about it.
BTW Islmaofasists think American Muslims are infidels as well.
R
He’s showing his inexperience and he is naive.
He really thinks this will have an impact on Al Qaeda NOT wanting to kill us…LOL! HAHAHHA.. Unreal!
He is making us unsafer as a nation every day and when this stimulus is passed…we will suffer further….
Rusty Bridges Sums it up Best:
So while I’m not smart enough to tell you what the best course would be, I can certainly tell you that I am deeply offended when our president goes on Islamic television and APOLOGIEZES ON MY BEHALF AND BLAMES THE ILL WILL OF THE ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS on George Walker Bush.
So- here’s my 2 cents worth comment when I logged on & read where President Obama decided to give his 1st Presidential Interview to the audience he selected(and the content of some of his responses) :
WTF ???????????????????????????????????????????
Give me a break! ?!?!?!?! I’m so confused right now….Is President Obama blaming the US for the attacks on 9/11 and the loss of almost 4,000 AMERICAN LIVES?????????????????????????
What the hell, People??? I’m sorry, I just don’t understand where he is coming from with making this decision to address this particular Islamic audience (“EXTREMISTS/TERRORISTS only- not the entire Islamic Nation per se)first and foremost.
=(
the empty suit shows his lack of depth once again.
dennisintn
#25 You are so full of shit.
I personally don’t care what you think.
#23 Amen to that Richard. Obama has shown the world who worries him most….and who he is afraid of.
If the U.S. is friends with the Muslem world, then we must agree with their values/views for them to consider the same for us. Does that mean the U.S. has to agree with death to Israel?
#21, the whole message is apoligitic and finger pointing. At least thats what I got from it, and thats what matters to me.
“US starts by dictating” What the H is that? The US has only stepped in when asked. So he says that he is going to let them make peace on their own. So when it falls to pieces like it always does then what? Start Dictating again?
This is just another example of how Dems blame the Republicans for all the woes, and right out of the gate start the BS they said the Republcans were doing.
Just for the record, I never listen to Rush, tried once, can’t stand the guy.
I read/watch a lot and form my own opinions. I come here to express those opinions.
Right now, I hate what my government has done, and is doing. I am really dissapointed that the change we were promised is turning out to be even more pork than before.
“Is the only solution the annihilation of one side or the other…or both?” You ask.
From what I know, that is the opinion of many Palestinions as well as Israelis. You can see that in post #18
I don’t think there will ever be peace in that region, God bless Obama in his efforts. I’m just offended at the way he is going about it, and so are many Israelis as well as Muslims. So I’ll take a wait and see stance on this.
some of you know-nothings seem to think Muslim equals terrorist.
you don’t even know how to spell Muslim or Palestinian.
thank God (and Allah) the previous President has been send back to Texas.
finally intelligence, diplomacy, science back in the White House.
instead of gut feeling, that’s what the previous President used to make decisions.
i hope Eric Holder has balls and orders the prosecution of the previous administration.
then all the crimes they committed get exposed for everyone to see.
#34…Since you think they are such a friendly bunch in the Middle East, why don’t you go live with them? See how that works out for you.
Seems you don’t know how to spell sent, so I guess you aren’t the brightest crayon in the box either huh?
And while Eric Holder is at it, he can prosecute the Obama administration as well for all the crimes they have committed. Let all the kool-aide drinkers see them for who/what they really are.
#27 scott: “He is making us unsafer as a nation every day”
As usual empty rhetoric with no back up.
Former President Bush has left us unsafe and has made us more “unsafer” than ever before. At least according to US Military and Intellegence experts.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07113.pdf
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07143.pdf
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08598.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/66bw9n
Now where’s your backup simpleton?
get it into your heads that not all muslims are terrorists.
it is good to have the pres from the US say to the muslim world:
no, we don’t dislike muslims, we dislike muslim extremists
better then calling for a crusade
Did I hear someone mention a crusade!? Oh boy! to arms, to arms…the liberals are coming, the liberals are coming!! (Oops, they’re here already, but look more like Socialists to me.)
yes Brenda
Bush did..a few times
Here’s my backup jackass and it’s all I need:
NO TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES IN 7 YEARS! F**K YOU!
NUMEROUS (Read “Fleeced by Dick Morris, former high ranking Clinton confidant) PLANNED TERRORIST ATTACKS against the US HOMELAND FOILED; most of which were NOT reported by the LIBERAL media.
It’s called common sense…maybe you’ve heard of it…or maybe not since you are blind to reality.
Why don’t you, Sean Penn and all the other bleeding liberals house these Gitmo terrorists in your backyard? I doubt you would…..
LOL…those docs say nothing of the sort that Bush has made us unsafer….you are a toolbox.
Get past your 12th grade education thinking that posting a few articles (without specifically reading them) backs up your FAKE-NESS and absurdness!
The changing environment of the terrorist themselves and how they acquire weapons, chemical and biological is what is making things somewhat difficult.
GWB has CRIPPLED Al Qaeda and how they operate; including disrupting their finances among other things; including setting up a network to foil attacks on the homeland. Can Obama live up to that, no attacks in 7 years? We’ll see…
You are so naive to think that GWB made us unsafer when 9/11 was planned under Clinton’s nose; proof the terrorists hated us before W came into office. How many embassies and battleships getting bombed did it take before Clinton launched one missile into a hospital tent?
The people would never stand for Congress trying to prosecute the Bush administration. Plus, the Bush administration broke NO laws; especially during a time of WAR. And THE FACTS will bear that out.
Of course, the lazy free hand out Dems will try to cover their criminal activity and BEING THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE(Dodd with Countrywide; Frank with his bank in Boston and his ties to Fannie and Freedie; ACORN with their voter fraud and bank intimidation) by trying to bring charges against Bush…won’t happen.
The people are waking up to Obama now and his SPENDING bill… You can’t boost the economy through creating GOVERNMENT jobs; which is where the majority of his 4M job “creation/prevention” claim is geared toward. I know, because of some stimulus is geared toward Health Centers and creating jobs in those types of venues!
Go drop yourself off a bridge.
typical rightwing republican reply from scott:
I do not like what your saying…go jump off a bridge….
If you would have lived in Afghanistan, you would have been a Taliban.
Bush didn’t break the law or constitution.
they bended and strechted it so it suited their needs.
damn good laywer that Gonzales
@ scott
“The people would never stand for Congress trying to prosecute the Bush administration.”
“trying to bring charges against Bush…won’t happen”
i’ve seen you and others make claims like that last year about Obama getting elected, that this won’t happen.
that America won’t ever elect a ‘muslim socialist’, or something like that.
all kinds of claims about birth certificates and that he is a muslim and more unfounded outrageous stuff.
fake invented outrages on a daily basis for weeks.
SM was also fooled by these fake outrages for some time.
i suggest you wait and see.
Karl Rove is being subpoenaed again.
he might not show up and risk Contempt of Congress.
Conyers will go after Rumsfeld.
this guy is old, he might fake some (mental) illness and try to delay for as long as possible.
but ultimately the deck of cards is likely to collapse.
not sure Bush will be prosecuted.
Obama might pardon him to not have the poor fools who voted for Bush twice become chronically depressed.
he was only a puppet with Cheney and others holding the strings.
caesu: the only balls eric holder will have in his hands are obama’s.you see all the white democrats in office? they tell obama what to do & when to do it.
Death to all infidels!!! Allah ahkbar!!
Praises and songs for Barack Hussein Obama of Kenya!! Allah ahkbar!!
Barry Odinga yes No Amerika gansters!! Allah ahkbar!!