By Juan Cole
Juan Cole shed lights on the first speech by President Obama to the Muslim via his first interview al-Arabiya satellite channel. Citing his statement “My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy,” Cole noted it’s time to hammer out a new strategy for the two worlds’ relations based on “mutual respect and shared interests”.
Cole also addressed the Western world to rab the opportunity to make use of the new American overture under Obama’s administration to engage and deepen ties with the Muslim world. He also call for them to dispel their fears of Islam and to build new dynamic partnership.
The writer pointed out that Obama has no much time, especially as many problems – in Palestine, Afghanistan, Africa – are waiting for his contribution to construct “peace and partnership with the Muslim world in ,any of its groups”.
Cole sees the West and American are capable of build such healthy relation if they dedicate “real engagement”.
Juan Cole is a History professor at Michigan University.
