How about that! Muslims actually don't hate us for our Freedoms!

[seasat]

The Washington Monthly has great article out by a pollster of majority Islamic countries. They actually don't hate us but actually want to come to the US and attend our schools. They want more trade and appreciate support during humanitarian crises. Most residents in majority Islamic countries want democratic societies with greater personal freedoms, free press, and independent judiciary. What concerns them about us is the perception that we are attacking them because of their religious beliefs. They also dislike our direct interference in their countries like Bush's support of Musharraf and the Iraq war.

This is a very interesting article that destroys Neocon myths and reinforces the need for a more balanced liberal foreign policy approach. Here are the major conclusions from the article:

Our polls provide three useful lessons for the next president. The first is this: don’t be too alarmed by the apparent high level of support for bin Laden in the Muslim world. Such support is soft, and can be made softer still with the right policies.

The second lesson is that in order to repair the dismal impression that many Muslims have of the United States, a new president doesn’t need to pull all troops out of Iraq right away, or solve the Israel-Palestine conflict overnight. More modest—if still politically tricky—actions can have an immediate and dramatic impact. It is essential for the United States to adopt policies that reveal a different side of American power—one that demonstrates respect and compassion by improving the lives of individual Muslims. Such policies include increasing student and work visas, direct humanitarian aid, and trade agreements. Since much of the Muslim anger towards the United States and the West is fueled by the widespread perception of a lack of respect, all of these people- based policies send a powerful, tangible message that we care about Muslims and regard them as equals.

The third lesson is that these practical, direct-to-the-public policy initiatives should be seen as an opening to a new American stance that, in both word and deed, manifests respectful relations between people. These initiatives need to be followed up with meaningful action on the major geostrategic issues that fuel Muslim resentment. We need to create more effective counterterrorism strategies, break the logjam on peace with Israel, and resolve the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Otherwise, whatever goodwill we create is likely to fade.

That goodwill is an invaluable asset to our national security. Negative public opinion towards the United States acts as a real political constraint on the leaders of Muslim countries, limiting their ability to work with America and its allies on everything from counterterrorism operations to negotiating peace agreements. When public opinion towards America has improved and support for terror organizations has declined, governments—even with the overt help of the United States, as in Indonesia and the Philippines—have been able to isolate and target the terrorists.

The results do not surprise us with liberal views. We've been saying this for years. However, feeding the Islamic belief that we are attacking their religion are McCain supporters like swift boater, Bud Day, who said:

"The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us.''

[rox63]

1. They probably do hate us for blowing up their children

But that's an entirely different matter.

[liberal N proud]

2. Even after all the reasons to hate us provided by bu$h.

[Hydra]

3. That would all be great

but:

"Most residents in majority Islamic countries want democratic societies with greater personal freedoms, free press, and independent judiciary."

We want that too- but we don't have it. Therefore, we can't ship it to them.

Thanks for posting this, though. The Neocons get far too much mileage out of that talking point.

[CJCRANE]

4. Bush-McCain Republicans want war profits

that's why they push the whole clash of civilizations BS to their gullible base.

[TexasObserver]

5. They hate us because we've invaded their countries, run their oil industry, yada yada yada

How can anyone who actually knows the history of the American and British roles in the Mideast since the early 1900s NOT understand why Muslims in the region oppose the things we have done there?

[GeorgeGist]

6. Note to Muslims:

you're already free to be ignorant and America is full.

[Selatius]

7. We will continue to fuck with them as long as they have a barrel of oil underneath their feet.

And we need oil to run our cars.