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February 19th, 2009
11:31 AM ET

The quiet American: How the world sees Obama

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/01/28/obama.first.week/art.obama.gi.jpg]

Joe Klein
Time

At this year's U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar, speaker after Muslim speaker had nothing particularly awful to say about the United States. The Muslims were, in fact, hopeful about, and slightly amazed by, the new American President. Some even wondered aloud what they could do to help him succeed. Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian opposition leader, listed the significant gestures that Obama had made toward the Islamic world, from the President's interview with al-Arabiya television network to the appointment of George Mitchell as Middle East negotiator. Obama had even made reference to "a hadith, which is something not many Islamic leaders do!" Ibrahim added, referring to the sayings of the Prophet that are not included in the Koran. Then Ibrahim went further: "But will the U.S. find credible partners in the Muslim world? ... How do we expect the President of the United States to solve our problems when we do nothing?"

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Filed under: 360° Radar • President Barack Obama
soundoff (2 Responses)
  1. lorraine

    let obama do his job if you can do better do it. if you could i am sure you would have already did it right. so what he is mix race who is not get off his back sorry mean that.we have biger problem than that to deal with.

    February 19, 2009 at 5:30 pm |
  2. Michael "C" Lorton, Virginia

    President Obama is confronted with a momentual task--to change a face of a nation--and we might want to extend that--to change the face of the world. It can be done-–but Obama cannot do it alone--he needs the world to participate. It is not only a US crisis-–it extends globally--belly up to the bar "WORLD" and assume your responsibilities.

    February 19, 2009 at 11:39 am |
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