Offering a glimpse of his much-anticipated speech to Muslims across the globe, US president Barack Obama said he will try to introduce, rather than impose, the United States and its set of “universal” values as a role model to the Muslim world.
“The thing that we can do most importantly is serve as a good role model,” Obama told, only two days before his speech on US-Muslim relations.
In the interview, Obama said he believes that “American” and Western values in general could be shared with the Muslim world.
“Democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, those are not simply principles of the West to be hoisted on these countries,” he said
“But rather what I believe to be universal principles that they can embrace and affirm as part of their national identity.”
The US president noted that his country wanted to lead by example when he took the decision to close the notorious Guantanamo Bay detention in Cuba.
Obama is facing domestic resistance to his plans to close the Guantanamo camp, where the George W. Bush administration has held hundreds of detainees since 2001 as part of the so-called war on terror.
“Closing Guantanamo, from my perspective, is as difficult as it is important.
“Because part of what we want to affirm to the world is that these are values that are important, even when it’s hard. Maybe especially when it’s hard. And not just when it’s easy,” explained Obama.
Obama, who has vowed a new way forward with the Muslim world, is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on the first stage of his tour of the Middle East.
In his speech in Egypt, home to Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni Muslim world, Obama he will try to renew the damaged image of the United States in the Muslim world.
America’s relations with the Muslim and Arab world hit all-time low under Bush’s watch over his so-called “war on terror”, which saw the invasion of two Muslim countries; Afghanistan and Iraq.
Encourage, not impose
Obama also believes that the US should not try to impose its values on any other country.
“The danger, I think, is when the United States, or any country, thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture.”
Obama has faced criticism over his decision to give a speech in Cairo, with human rights groups pointing to Egypt’s patchy reputation for political freedom.
But the US president said while there were “obviously” human rights issues to address in some Middle Eastern countries, the job of the US was not to “lecture” but to encourage “universal principles” that those countries could “embrace”.
“Absolutely you can encourage and I expect we will be encouraging,” he added.
The statements signal a clear shift from his predecessor’s rhetoric on democracy promotion on the Middle East, a source of friction with allies in the region.
But Obama, however, said he is not apologizing for the actions of the Bush White House, asserting that “dialogue” between the West and the Muslim world is the solution to correct misapprehensions on both sides.
“There are misapprehensions about the West, on the part of the Muslim world. And, obviously, there are some big misapprehensions about the Muslim world when it comes to those of us in the West,” said Obama.
“Ultimately, it’s going to be action and not words that determine the path, the progress – from here on out.”
Honesty
Obama also pledged, on the eve of his first trip as a US president to the troubled Middle East, new honesty in ties with Israel.
“Part of being a good friend is being honest,” Obama told.
“I think there have been times where we are not as honest as we should be about the fact that the current direction, the current trajectory, in the region is profoundly negative, not only for Israeli interests but also US interests.”
The Obama administration has made very public calls for Israel to impose a total freeze on illegal settlements, which are considered one of the main obstacles facing the peace process.
But rightist Israeli government of Prime Minister Netanyahu Benjamin has defiantly rejected Obama’s calls and has shied away from backing a two-state solution.
“We do have to retain a constant belief in the possibilities of negotiations that will lead to peace,” Obama told NPR.
“I’ve said that a freeze on settlements is part of that.”
The US president also argued that it is in Israel’s best interests to make peace.
“I believe that strategically, the status quo is unsustainable when it comes to Israel’s security,” Obama said.
“Over time, in the absence of peace with Palestinians, Israel will continue to be threatened militarily and will have enormous problems on its borders.”
-Agencies