Can Obama work a miracle?

Obama's was a singularly remarkable speech. It is hard to find a leader in his position, president of a superpower, who has spoken about the burning issues of the day in such a disarmingly candid and manifestly rational way in recent times. In thoughts, tone and words he sounded genuinely concerned at the dangerous course of events - the spread of "violent extremism", the persistent tension in the Middle East needing a mere spark to flare up, the unchecked proliferation of nuclear weapons, for instance - that have made life miserable. Pointing to a Quranic commandment, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth," President Barack Hussain Obama assured his listeners that he would try to follow the dictate - "to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us". And, indeed, no one (no political thinker or an ordinary newspaper reader or a man in the street) would belittle the formidable nature of challenges that confront the world. He swayed the minds of those present in the hall of Cairo University, who erupted in thunderous applause 43 times in a span of 50 minutes that his address took, demonstrating that they wholeheartedly went along with his utterances, yet all the while conscious of the real prospect that Mr Obama had, at the start of his talk, underscored that "no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust...that change cannot happen overnight". The US President reverted to the holy Quran several times to strike a helpful chord with the Muslim world. No doubt, he impressed them. When he discussed, albeit cursorily, the issues that rankle with Muslims he seemed to understand their grievances, and the glimpses of solutions he gave sounded on the face of it acceptable to them. If words were enough to win the hearts and minds of Muslims, to get over the centuries'-old mistrust, Mr Obama carried the day but things are not so easy, and mere speeches even if they were scores in number, let alone one speech, cannot work miracles. The Muslim world has for long been at the receiving end of political and social injustice meted out to them by the colonialist powers, and to the burden of history that the two civilisations carry with them has been added a long line of brutal events in which mainly the Muslim world continues to suffer (the Palestinian tragedy, for example) directly or indirectly at the hands of Western powers led by the US. Muslims would like the US President to follow up his words with definite moves. The new beginning that he visualises would have to wait at least till then. His address, which brought out the contribution of the Muslim world to human civilisation, could pave the way for fighting "negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear" that he promised. But to change the mindset could take generations, and for Muslims to respond likewise about America's stereotype in their minds would depend upon how Mr Obama delivers on the positive indications he gave in his speech. As the audience learnt, some of his ideas must have come as a shock to those listeners who had vested interests in certain issues or had preconceived notions about them. They certainly were not expecting him to so sharply diverge from the line the previous American administrations had been taking. Hopefully, Mr Obama's address would set in motion policies that could narrow the divide currently existing between Muslims on the one hand and the United States and the West on the other. It was most extensively broadcast around the globe, and attracted large audiences of people of all faiths and not just Muslims and the Western public. The attraction of a President of the United State of African origin was so great and the reputation he had built since he entered the presidential race that he was determined to reset policies for the good of mankind was so compelling that even those who had little acquaintance with the English language were seen watching him to deliver the address. Broadly speaking, the issues President Obama pinpointed affected the lives of everyone on earth. * "Violent extremism", by which he meant the raging fires of insurgencies in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, has caused dark shadows of insecurity around the world. * The agonising cries of Palestinians reverberate wherever a right-minded person lives and wherever a Muslim heart beats. No less painful are the acts of Palestinian militants against the people of Israel. * Obama's wish for a nuclear-free world rings like a utopian dream. Nevertheless, the ideal is worth working for to banish the spectre of doom that keeps hovering around. * Lauding the virtues of democracy while in Egypt, which is ruled by an implacable dictator, reflected his courage as well as commitment to the cause. * His views on religious freedom and women's rights would have irked the fanatical elements. Those Western countries, which see a lurking danger in every little girl wearing a dupatta or scarf and disregard the compulsions of culture and tradition to which she belongs must have been put off by his open denunciation of the violation of the principle of freedom of choice in dress provided it does not offend the accepted norms of decency. * On the question of 'economic development and opportunity', he talked of exchange programmes, increase in the number of scholarships to Muslims and transfer of technology to Muslim majority countries. In a globalised world of today it has become virtually impossible for a country to live as an isolated island of peace, while some parts of the world are being torn apart with strife. The remedy lies in sinking differences that give rise to the feelings of hostility and antiparty among nations and creating a climate of cooperation and partnership. It is this reasoning perhaps that led President Obama to say: "Yet in this new age, such attitudes (attempts at subjugating others) are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners of it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership; progress must be shared." Pious words, no doubt. They create an impression of genuineness and feeling of goodwill but at the same time impose a big responsibility upon President Hussain Obama to seriously work for translating them into reality. Can he work that miracle? E-mail: mqkay@yahoo.co.uk