RAMALLAH Feb 21 (JMCC) - US President Barack Obama's efforts to 'reach out' to the Muslim world have only emphasized the disconnect between his administration and their potential Muslim allies. Doyle McManus observes how the breakdown in Obama's peace efforts between Israelis and Palestinians has sullied his credibility.
We want to engage with the United States, said Abdelaziz Omari, an opposition member of Morocco's parliament. But we see a credibility gap. Most Arabs are angry with U.S. policy [toward Israel], and we don't see the United States giving real support to democracy in the region. For us, other issues are of marginal importance.
The administration sent a big delegation led by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to the conference. But the Americans found themselves on the defensive.
I know people are disappointed. . . . I fully understand the importance that this issue holds for people not only in this region but around the world, Clinton told the meeting.
Her promise that we are determined to settle this conflict once and for all was followed by a warning that the U.S. role was limited, since it would be up to Israelis and Palestinians to make the decisions...
Read the full article at the Los Angeles Times