Change of Tone

Barack Obama appeared on the Al-Arabiya network for his first post-inaugural interview. This interview may have been the most significant action that he has taken since taking office. Coupled with his plans to close Guantanamo and prohibitions on torture, he is signaling a significant change of tone in American foreign policy.

In the interview, simply by stating that America is not an enemy of Islam, he did more to restore relations between the U.S. and the Arab world than all the cowboy diplomacy of the last eight years has accomplished. By emphasizing that he has respect for Muslims and Islam, he demonstrated an awareness and maturity long needed in the office of President. Indicating a willingness to work together he began to lay the groundwork for a meaningful resolution to a great deal of the world's conflict.

Moving beyond the simplistic notions of "evil doers" and "Islamo-fascists" that the previous administration was so found of using, (as a way of throwing gasoline on a fire), Obama demonstrated an understanding of the complexities of the Middle East. He also reversed the course of the American president being the best recruiting tool for al-Qaeda. The fanatics who need a complicit foil must be concerned.

Those who opposed the election of Obama because of his alleged Muslim ties should take note. It is his very awareness of the Islamic world, both through living in Indonesia and through actual contact with Muslims, that has enabled him to do this. His very election has challenged the underlying rationale that many of our most bitter enemies have held to justify their actions. Witness the absurd attack that Ayman al-Zawahiri recently made upon Obama where he tried to pit the words of Malcolm X against him (see Blog Post: Neither God nor Allah on their Side).

Serious discourse appears to be the new direction of foreign policy. For this and this alone I would like to applaud the change in tone that Obama has signaled. The journey of ten thousand miles starts with the first step, not the first bombing.