Is American view in Muslim world bastardised?

[dArKeR]

Washington - US Senator Joe Biden called on Wednesday for an expansion in US radio and TV broadcasts around the Muslim world to help improve America's worsening "image problem".

"It's hardly a secret that we have more than an image problem overseas. The fact of the matter is there are 1,2 billion Muslims in the world who seem not to understand our motives and our intentions," said Biden, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"I'm proposing an ambitious and substantial increase in our international broadcasting to countries with significant Muslim populations."

"The plan that I put forward calls for a significant expansion of radio and television broadcasts to the Muslim world outside the Middle East - in Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia and East and West Africa.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw109649628673U232

[aquart]

1. The problem is not our image. It's our reality.

[Eye and Monkey]

7. and TV won't fix that.

[AIJ Alom]

2. While we're at it. We may want to get Europe and every other continent

that is isn't Muslim dominated. This inability to understand our motives and intentions seems to be spreading for some reason. Wonder* what* it* is* ?

[geek tragedy]

3. Voting the Shrub out of office is the only real PR battle the US can win.

[dArKeR]

5. You've got a point there. Don't you think the moral Americans, Democrats,

could make some advertisement, a Rocky type, where all Americans are called upon to stand up and make the 'correct choice' and 'the whole world is watching and hoping.'

[geek tragedy]

8. Tough call--no country likes to be told by outsiders how to vote.

I know that influencing foreign elections is a US tactic, but that wouldn't stop swing voters from resenting it here.

[The Traveler]

4. How 'bout some respect

They invented algebra, for Christ's sake. Saladin executed one of the harshest forced marches in history to break the siege of Jerusalem when the Crusaders were sacking the city. The Christians and surving Muslims had fled to the Jewish quarter, where all were making a last desperate stand. When Saladin arrived, the Jews threw the Muslims the key to the gates.

That spirit is not dead in Islam. One calls it forth by respecting it, acknowledging it, honoring it.

Judging all Muslims by the example of Bin Laden is like judging all Christians by the example of Falwell. Let me assure you the Islamic world has its Mother Theresa's also.

[EEgrad2003]

6. What do people really expect??

We go into their counrty to "so call" civilize them and give them freedom. That's what WE call it, when it's really call it imperialization. You would think that America would have learned from it's past mistakes and the past mistakes of Europe. Then, we generalize them ALL as terrorist. How should the muslim world think of the America we we invade a country under false accusations, and we "raise flags from the WTC rubble in Iraq". Last I check, Osama Bin Laden was Saudi and 15 of the hijackers were Saudi. It's an insult to them. First, it says, we think you're savages and then it says, well, all Arabs and Muslims are the same. We act as if we DON'T respect them, why should they respect us?

[gottaB]

9. Radio Sawa and Alhurra are a bastardized free press

Biden is right about the need to promote a better understanding of the US, but only half-right about the solution.

The US needs to support indiginous media and promote freedom of expression even if that means also supporting critics of the US (within reason). If we truly believe in our democratic ideals, then our national identity for export should be no different than our national identity for home consumption.

[GoBlue]

10. Senator Biden you are confused.

The majority of people in the world "understand our motives and our intentions"are a major problem; and not a solution.

[Englander]

11. The problem is with * and his fascist ways.....

all Americans are being judged by his
actions,which is why a clear election
defeat is the best result for your country..

[Moderator]

12. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=874243