Posted on 11/10/2010 5:57:28 AM PST by greatplains
US President Barack Obama has held up Indonesia as an example of how a developing nation can embrace democracy and diversity. (snip)
Mr Obama said innocent people across the world were still targeted by militants but emphasised that the US was not at war with Islam.(snip)
In his address, he touched on the four years he spent in the country as a child and emphasised the importance of Indonesia's example as a growing economy and a majority-Muslim nation that is largely tolerant of other religions.
"Today, I return to Indonesia as a friend, but also as a president who seeks a deep and enduring partnership between our two countries," he said. (snip)
He also highlighted the role religion had played in Indonesia's development, praising the country's spirituality and "rich diversity".
"Just as individuals are not defined solely by their faith, Indonesia is defined by more than its Muslim population," he said.
"But we also know that relations between the United States and Muslim communities have frayed over many years. As president, I have made it a priority to begin to repair these relations."
He said more work needed to be done to address "the issues that have caused tensions for many years" but appealed for unity to defeat "violent extremists".
"I have made it clear that America is not, and never will be, at war with Islam," he said.
"Instead, all of us must work together to defeat al-Qaeda and its affiliates, who have no claim to be leaders of any religion - certainly not a great, world religion like Islam. But those who want to build must not cede ground to terrorists who seek to destroy. This is not a task for America alone."(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Very good post.
Demands America Change Its Evil Ways
Man, what a (censored).
I never DREAMED the political right-of-center, us, could get so lucky. :)
1999-2001: Fighting between Muslims and Christians in eastern Indonesia kills 9,000.
April 1999: Jakarta’s Istiqlal mosque is damaged by a bomb allegedly set off by Jemaah Islamiyah.
October 2002: Bombings on the island of Bali kill 202, mostly foreign tourists
February 2003: Bomb damages Indonesia 's national police headquarters complex in Jakarta,
April 2003: Pipe bomb goes off outside the main UN building in downtown Jakarta.
April 2003: A bomb explodes near at Jakarta's main airport, injuring eleven people.
July 2003: Bomb rocks Indonesia's parliament days after police arrest nine Islamist militants capturing explosives capable of making a bomb ten times more powerful than those used in the Bali attack.
August 2003: Ten people killed and scores injured when a bomb blast rips Jakarta's foreign embassy and business district.
September 2004: A suicide bomber sets off a ton of explosives in a delivery van outside the Australian Embassy. Kills 11 and wounds 200.
October 2005: The Bali bombings were a series of terrorist suicide bomb and car bombs in Bali, Indonesia. At least 26 people killed and more than 100 others injured.
July 2009: Bombs explode inside the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels in Jakarta. Nine killed and more than 50 wounded.
Obviously just a bunch of tolerant, fun-loving Indonesian 'youths' having a good time with their homeys.
In addition, Obama hates non-Muslim Australians almost as much as he hates non-Muslim Americans.
The guy is an idiot.
Indonesia’s treatment of the Catholics of East Timor fell just short of genocide and warranted the severing of that place. Now, with East Timor an independent nation, with an overwhelmingly Muslim population, Indonesia has “solved” the problem of diversity. The few ethnic Chinese, Christians and animists accept their place.
Nowadays, the country has a tiny problem with separatists in the northern part of Sumatra. With outside mediation, it has been granted the status of an autonomous territory. The people of this region are Muslims, like the overwhelming of Indonesians throughout the country, but have always resisted outsiders.
The inability of Indonesia to peacefully accommodate diversity is typical of primitive peoples and much of the Islamic world following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Tribalism manifests itself in intolerance of minorities and suspicion of outsiders. We are seeing tensions within the Islamic world as many seek greater liberalization and openness, along with the economic benefits of modernization. Nigeria is beset with tribal conflict, South Sudan may declare its independence of the north, the continuing pogroms of Coptic Christians in Egypt, the challenge of Sunni and Shi’ite Arabs living peacefully together in Iraq, the Gulf States, Yemen and elsewhere, these do not portray a religion of peace but a religion with many adherents who are tribal and primitive. Were Islam the superior religion its adherents claim it to be, we wouldn’t see these things, and the pretense that these things don’t happen is a lie.
To characterize Indonesia as a model is merely a throwaway line for the immediate gratification of those present. Indonesia is correctly described as an example of the challenges facing the under-developed world.
Indonesia also had the problem of an authoritarian and kleptocratic government, until the East Asian Currency Crisis knocked down their house of cards. Of course, such problems are not unique to Indonesia. What followed was in some ways honorable and other ways not. Taking everything into account and being realistic, I would say the country can take pride in its struggles during the past 15 or so years.
But, if we were to be fair about things, what would say about the United States? Would we see only the bad in the U.S. and only the good in foreign countries?
This unfairness is, at its base, racist. It is based on a suspicion of all things white and the acceptance of all things from people of color. It denies that we are all created equal and it is anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-liberal.
What has frayed our relations? Obviously, from his world view, the United States is to blame and he must 'fix' what all who came before him have broken. At least he is putting it out in the open; not that it will matter.
Evidently, his PRIORITY is really not to get our 'car out of the ditch', but rather to suck up to foreign powers.
In 1982 I read that Indonesia has the highest male population of homosexuals.
In the last 10 years I can think of no other country which has lost more life to “natural disasters”.
God is issuing warnings just as He said He would.
ping...g...g...g
It used to be that the U.S.A. was a model for the world.
He’s insane.
” For the First time in my adult life I can be proud of my country” — Barack Hossein Soetero
DOOH!..
I have no comment except to say that this isn’t the first time and won’t be the last Caligula and I have disagreed.
“Submit to the Islamic supremacists.”
A model of a stinking sewer to be avoided!
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