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January 27, 2009
Obama's First Interview Is With Muslim TV - Al Arabiya
Obama: U.S. not your enemy
President Barack Obama presented a humble and conciliatory face of America to the Islamic world Monday in the first formal interview since he assumed office, stressing his own Muslim ties and hopes for a Palestinian state, and avoiding a belligerent tone — even when asked if America could "live with" an Iranian nuclear weapon.
"I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries," Obama said, according to a White House transcript. "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy."
The Al Arabiya interview, directed squarely at Muslims around the world,...
What I told him is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating — in the past on some of these issues — and we don't always know all the factors that are involved," Obama said. "What we want to do is to listen, set aside some of the preconceptions that have existed and have built up over the last several years. And I think if we do that, then there's a possibility at least of achieving some breakthroughs."
Obama's interview was marked by attempts to sympathize with the concerns of ordinary Muslims, particularly on the question of living conditions in the West Bank.
"Will the United States ever live with a nuclear Iran? And if not, how far are you going in the direction of preventing it?" asked the interviewer, Al Arabiya Washington Bureau Chief Hisham Melhem.
Obama responded only generally, expressing disapproval of an Iranian bomb but not the flat condemnation that is standard from American officials.
"Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount," he said. "But I also believe that there are Israelis who recognize that it is important to achieve peace. They will be willing to make sacrifices if the time is appropriate and if there is serious partnership on the other side."
Obama's interview plan was made public only Monday afternoon, and the interview, which concluded just after 6:00 p.m., was distributed to reporters in the evening and embargoed for release at 11:00 p.m.
Asked why Al Arabiya had been granted the president's first interview, and aide said: "We want to communicate directly to the entire world America's new foreign policy."
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Wild Thing's comment..........
He sure is a lot like Carter, he trashes the USA and says "too often the USA starts by dictating and not by listening. "
There are more parts to the interview, but my stomach could only handle this part one video.
"Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States.."
I see no affirmation from Obama of America's support for Israel in this.
So the golden rule in politics must be .....he who contributes the most gets the first interviews.
Illegal Obama donors: Middle Eastern Arabs
Gazan brothers' illicit contributions listed in government campaign filings
"Palestinian brothers inside the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip are listed in government election filings as having donated $29,521.54 to Sen. Barack Obama's campaign.
Donations of this nature would violate election laws, including prohibitions on receiving contributions from foreigners and guidelines against accepting more than $2,300 from one individual during a single election, Bob Biersack, a spokesman for the Federal Election Commission.
Posted by Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 03:55 AM
Comments
Obama said
"start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating"
this is interesting because in these first few days following his being sworn into office (twice) it seems he is dictating by presidential dictates. Also I have not seen a domestic interview.
Bob A.
Posted by: Bob A at January 27, 2009 06:48 AM
Isn't this what everyone here has suspected all along. That his membership in Wrights Church was a sham and that he is and always has been a moslem. My grandfather use to say, 'you can write anything on paper as long as it holds still.' This applies to obamas numerous, false statements, mis-statements, half-truths and all out lies, about himself and his life as a Moslem.
But also I think his arrogance will get him into real trouble. Give him enough rope and he will hang himself.
Posted by: Mark at January 27, 2009 07:26 AM
Don't ever forget Obama's slip during a tv interview, "my muslim faith". He said it naturally and did not correct himself until Stephanopolos corrected him.
Posted by: TomR at January 27, 2009 12:12 PM
If Obama Doesn't want us in Iraq or Afghanistan he must realize what kind of an advantage those two countries give us. We can basically use them as a springboard to launh offensives (we don't even have to send troops we can launch cruise missles or UAV attacks) against insurgencies in the ENTIRE Middle East As well as staging areas for a pincer attack against Iran (who I still think is russia's main customer) so take out Iran and al queda is finished and even russia is in trouble. Unfortunately My view on this would earn me HEAVY criticism from the PC media. I'm merely looking at this from a tactical perspective, I play to WIN.
Posted by: JohnE PFC U.S. Army at January 27, 2009 01:13 PM
Dictator Barack Hussein Obama is stuck in pre-9/11 thinking and refuses to connect the Islamofascist terrorist, Arab/Muslim terror supporting nations, and the millions of active and passive terrorist supporting Muslim population dots together. The fact of the matter is that the United States is not at war with Islam. It is the spreading Islamic Caliphate that is at war with the United States and wants to forcibly dominate us and all other infidels that get in their way.
Dictator Obama and his foreign policy team see Islamofascist terrorists, Arab/Muslim terror supporting nations, and the millions of active and passive terrorist supporting Muslim population with a moral equivalence to the democratic and free non-Muslim nations of the world.
We only have to look at Dictator Obama's own words to know where he stands on Israel. In answer to a question about Israel with the Atlantic last May, Obama responded with, "But what I think is that this constant wound, that this constant sore, does infect all of our foreign policy."
http://www.israpundit.com/2008/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/obama_ahmadinejad.jpg
Posted by: Les at January 27, 2009 03:50 PM
The Trojan Horse was carried in by the Democrats then opened and guess what was inside - Hobama!!!
Posted by: Jack at January 27, 2009 03:52 PM
So nice to hear that Obamessiah is also our Secretary of State too. Not bad for a ? year old Afro-Caucasion without a valid birth certificate... Hey Obama, WE are defending our nation because JIHAD by Osama bin Laden was declared on US in 1998!
- Obama Been Lyin 2009
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at January 27, 2009 04:11 PM
There are several explanations for this, none of them good.
A) He's a sanctimonious, delusional crackpot who thinks his charms are powerful enough to change Islamic despotisms.
B) He's a gutless liberal with the standard-issue need to kiss the asses of aggressors.
C) He wanted to speak first knowing that the poison in the Muslim World will leak out anyway, and he can say that he tried to play nice.
Any one of the above involves selling out his country. I think it's all three.
Posted by: Rhod at January 27, 2009 05:20 PM
Bob A., your right, this is his very first interveiw since his being sworn in such as it was. Neither time was really done the right way.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 05:29 PM
Mark, that is an excellent saying by your grandfather. So true and it sure applies to things Obama has been up to.
Yes this is no surprise, and I actually am glad he did it so soon too. There will be people that voted for him thinking he would favor Israel no matter what and this will show them how wrong they were.
I agree too about his arrogance.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 05:35 PM
Tom, your right LOL that was such a wonderful slip I loved that he did that. And it was one of the most natural things he said.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 05:38 PM
JohnE PFC U.S. Army, good one and I also love the part " I play to WIN".
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 05:44 PM
Les, thank you and also for the graphic and quote.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 05:49 PM
Jack, good one, that sums it up for sure.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 05:53 PM
Darth, exactly, Obama is letting the enemy know there is a huge weakness with him as president so bring it on terrorists. I don't want the terrorists to being it on. What a horrible person he is.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 27, 2009 05:56 PM
Hi Rhod, great to see you.
Yes I would pick each one of those. I sure wish the 4 years were done I don't know if I can stand this for 4 years. I know America will not be the America I love so much with all my heart.
Thank you Rhod.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 28, 2009 12:42 AM
Barry Hussein O'Vomit is a traitor.
Posted by: cuchieddie at January 28, 2009 11:08 AM
