Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
The U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project has released a report that provides strategies
for improved U.S. relations with Muslim countries and communities.
The September 24, 2008 report, "Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the
Muslim World," is the result of two years of discussion and research which grew from concern
about growing tension and violence between the U.S. and Muslim countries and communities. It
offers a comprehensive strategy – with political, diplomatic, economic and cultural initiatives – to
help ease tensions and build a coalition against terrorism.
The U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project
Thirty-four bipartisan leaders with diverse political and religious views took part in the U.S.-
Muslim Engagement Project. Among them were experts in the fields of foreign policy, national
security, politics, business, religion, education, public opinion, psychology, philanthropy, and
conflict resolution.
Included in the group were former U.S. Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Richard
Armitage; Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America; Dalia Mogahed and
Ahmed Younis of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies; and Thomas Dine, former executive
director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
The report cites the Global War on Terror as an inadequate response to the events of 9/11 which
did little to reduce national security concerns. It says that policies and actions – not a clash of
civilizations – are at the root of current tensions. The report notes that only a tiny minority of
Muslims endorse terrorism, and that support for terrorism often stems from oppressive conditions
within Muslim countries.
The "Changing Course" report, based on unprecedented consensus of bipartisan U.S. leaders on
this much-debated topic, suggests four goals to not only improve U.S. relations with Muslims, but
ultimately increase national security and reduce terrorism. The report advises U.S. government
and private leaders to work with their counterparts in Muslim countries to:
Improve Diplomacy
The report strongly advocates diplomacy over military action as the primary tool. Iran, Iraq, Israel,
Palestine, Afghanistan and Pakistan were all named areas of the Middle East and Muslim world
which could benefit from elevated U.S. diplomacy.
The report encourages the U.S. to promote fair and non-violent political contests and governance,
civic involvement, and principles over political parties. It also suggests that the U.S. examine
case-by-case the value of engaging with representatives of armed political and activist
movements.
The U.S. should work to bolster domestic and foreign Muslim economies and create job growth
via policy and trade reforms, public-private investment partnerships, and improved educational
opportunities. Energy resources should be diversified.
Public policy, cross-cultural education, in-depth and accurate news coverage, and increased
cultural diplomacy were all named ways in which to foster respect and understanding between
Americans and Muslims. Key to the strategies' success would be the involvement of the Muslim-
American population as a bridge to greater understanding both in the U.S. and abroad.
In addition to outlining comprehensive strategies, the report provides insight into the
complexity of U.S.relations with Muslims. The report further advises the next U.S.
president to prioritize improved U.S.-Muslim relations both domestically and abroad.
US foriegn aid
Unemployment in America is hovering at just below 10 percent, so President Obama
hosted a “Summit on Entrepreneurship” in Washington, D.C., in an effort to boost
economic development … in Muslim nations.
The president thinks more U.S. investment in Muslim lands and exchange programs that
will bring Muslim women to America so they can work as interns will enhance U.S.
prosperity and, thus, change Muslim attitudes about the United States.
The U.S. has been more than generous to Arab and Muslim nations in direct foreign aid,
military assistance and other ways. Egypt receives about $2 billion of American taxpayer
dollars every year, yet it still votes against American interests at the U.N. 79 percent of
the time. Jordan, a “moderate” Muslim nation, receives nearly $200 million annually in
U.S. foreign aid, but votes against America at the U.N. 71 percent of the time. Pakistan
votes 75 percent of the time against the U.S. at the U.N. while pocketing nearly $7
million annually in foreign aid (in addition to the money it gets to supposedly fight al-
Qaida).
An even better example of the disconnect between American assistance and changed
Muslim attitudes toward the U.S. is the Palestinian Authority. As former Israeli diplomat
Yoram Ettinger writes for ynetnews.com, just since 2007, “U.S. foreign aid to the
Palestinian Authority and to PA-controlled (nongovernmental organizations) reached
nearly $2 billion, in addition to $3.7 billion contributed by the U.S. to the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East since 1950.”
Has this aid produced jobs and, thus, a moderation in rhetoric and the objectives of the
Palestinian Authority and its president, Mahmoud Abbas? Has it led to both sides in the
Middle East conflict mounting a “sustained effort to respect one another and seek
common ground,” as President Obama called for in his Cairo speech last year?
As Ettinger writes in his column, quite the opposite has occurred. “On April 20, 2010
Abbas named a Ramallah street in honor of Abu Jihad, the architect of PLO terrorism
during 1965-1988.” Honor? For masterminding terrorism targeting Israeli civilians?
On March 11, PA media, which Abbas controls, praised Dalal Mughrabi, who
commanded the 1978 Coastal Road Massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 38
civilians, including 13 children. The PA also named a girl’s school in Hebron, a computer
center, a summer camp and a sport tournament after Mughrabi.
In 1994, Abbas, who was then deputy to Yasser Arafat, inaugurated a system of hate
education that continues to this day. In the PA media, in schools and in mosques, children
and adults are exposed to venomous anti-Semitic speech and images that rival those of
The Third Reich. In fact, writes Ettinger, “Hitler and suicide-bombers are folk heroes.”
Ettinger recalls that as Arafat’s top aide for 50 years, Abbas was involved in the “betrayal
of Arab host countries such as Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Kuwait. He enrolled in
KGB courses and submitted a doctorate thesis on Holocaust denial at the Moscow
University
About USAID/Afghanistan
Welcome to the USAID/Afghanistan
website. Our website demonstrates
how American taxpayer dollars are
being used to help Afghanistan and its
people to build a peaceful, prosperous,
and democratic state. It features
projects that are improving the lives of
the Afghan people. The U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) in
Afghanistan implements these projects,
and works with a team of outstanding
local and international partners to help
carry them out. Our work in
Afghanistan is an excellent example of
how the American people are helping
the people of Afghanistan build a better
future.
With over 4 billion dollars spent on development programs in
Afghanistan since 2002, USAID provides the largest bilateral civilian
assistance program to Afghanistan. Our work continues to be a vital
support to Afghanistan in its efforts to ensure economic growth led
by the private sector, establish a democratic and capable state
governed by the rule of law, and provide basic services for its
people.
The Afghan people rejoice in peace and freedom: they are dedicated
to working for a better future for the generations to come. USAID
assistance is crucial to achieving this goal. From rehabilitating the
rural economy to developing financial organizations, increasing
trade and export, and repairing the infrastructure for energy,
transport, and water services, USAID assistance plays a major role
helping to reconstruct this shattered country.
The people of Afghanistan democratically elected their
Government. USAID supports Afghanistan in its pledge to fully
develop a stable, legitimate, and democratic state in which the
voices of Afghan people are heard. USAID assists in building
democratic institutions, and the capacity of those institutions to
perform in a participatory, accountable and responsible manner.
USAID is helping the Government of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan in its efforts to build a strong judicial system that
safeguards the rights of every Afghan citizen. USAID assists in the
effort to enable Afghan citizens to be a part of a dynamic civil
society and to participate in the decision-making process about the
future of their country.
Afghanistan is committed to developing its human capital and
providing its citizens with access to good quality basic health and
education services. From building clinics and schools to ensuring
equal opportunities to all citizens of Afghanistan, USAID provides
training and capacity development to individuals, families and
communities to protect their health and develop the skills that
enable them to contribute to the growth of their country. Only
investment in Afghanistan's human capital - that is, in its people -
will ultimately lead the country to prosperity, peace and stability on
a long-term, sustainable basis.
We welcome any thoughts and comments you might have as we
join together to meet this great challenge.
The United States and Its Friends and Allies Can Help
to Ameliorate Negative Trends in the Muslim
World
How can the United States respond to the challenges and opportunities that current
conditions in the Muslim world pose to U.S. interests? Researchers suggest a variety
of social, political, and military options:
• Foster madrassa and mosque reform. There is an urgent need for the
United States and the international community to support reform efforts to
ensure that madrassas provide a broad, modern education and marketable
skills. One course of action is to help establish or strengthen higher education
accreditation boards that monitor and review curricula in state and private
schools. Although outsiders may be reluctant to involve themselves in
ostensibly religious affairs, ways may be found to support the efforts of
governments and moderate Muslim organizations to ensure that mosques do
not serve as platforms for radical ideologies.
• Support “civil Islam.” Support of “civil Islam” — Muslim civil society groups
that advocate moderation and modernity — is an essential component of an
effective U.S. policy toward the Muslim World. Assistance in efforts to develop
education and cultural activities by secular or moderate Muslim organizations
should be a priority. The United States and its allies may also have to assist in
the development of democratic and civil society institutions.
Ensure the strategic and effective use of foreign assistance resources to respond to global
needs, make the world safer, and help people better their own lives by supporting
programs that:
Mission Statement
Provides leadership, coordination and strategic direction within the U.S. Government and
with external stakeholders to enhance foreign assistance effectiveness and integrates
foreign assistance planning and resource management across State and USAID;
Leads strategic, operational, and performance planning of U.S. foreign assistance with a
focus on aligning resources with policy priorities;
Develops and defends foreign assistance budget requests and allocates State and
USAID foreign assistance funding to meet urgent needs and new opportunities and to
ensure long-term sustainable investments; and
Promotes good stewardship of foreign assistance funds by strengthening oversight,
accountability, and transparency.
Operating Principles
In order to achieve our vision and mission, our work will be driven by the following
operating principles:
As public servants, we will be accountable to the American people for ensuring the
effective use of foreign assistance resources by:
Prioritizing the allocation of resources to ensure that U.S. policy objectives are
achieved;
Emphasizing a country-based focus for planning and programming resources
that incorporates functional and transcendent needs and priorities;
Ensuring that resource allocations are informed by analysis of country and
program performance;
Working with others in State and USAID to align program and operational
resources; and
Carrying out our work with integrity in a transparent and coordinated manner.
We will be constructive and cooperative partners with our stakeholders by:
Respecting and calling upon the expertise of our colleagues;
Engaging where F has unique capacity or perspective;
Using our convening authority to bring stakeholders together to develop
coordinated approaches to issues and challenges;
Continually working with our interagency partners to identify and act upon
opportunities to improve integration and coordination of foreign assistance; and
Being reasonable and balanced in carrying out our work and in our interactions
with others.
We will value our employees as our most important resource by:
Recognizing and rewarding collaboration, teamwork, and excellent performance;
Encouraging the positive exchange of ideas and perspectives; and
Fostering professional development through mentoring, training, and career
advancement opportunities.
According to the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART), the GOI
estimates that 85 percent of buildings have been destroyed in Bam and the surrounding
area. Out of the original population of approximately 115,000, the Government of Iran
(GOI) estimates that 45,000 people are homeless, and this number is expected to rise to
75,000 upon the return of those currently staying with relatives or being hospitalized
outside Bam. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs, (UN OCHA), the GOI estimates the earthquake resulted in the
deaths of 30,000 people and injured 30,000 residents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
If we are to have partners for peace, then we must first be partners in sympathetic recognition that all mankind possesses in
common like aspirations and hungers, like ideals and appetites, like purposes and frailties, a like demand for economic
advancement. The divisions between us are artificial and transient. Our common humanity is God-made and enduring.
Creating partnerships for peace with Muslim countries and communities is one of the greatest challenges—and opportunities—
facing the United States today. Currently, conflict, misunderstanding, and distrust plague U.S. relations with Muslims in many
countries, imperiling security for all. Maintaining the status quo raises the specter of prolonged confrontation, catastrophic attacks,
and a cycle of retaliation.
Despite these tensions, the vast majority of Americans and Muslims around the world want peace, amicable relations, good
governance, prosperity, and respect. Policies and actions—not a clash of civilizations—are at the root of our divisions.
This Report outlines a comprehensive strategy for the U.S. to enhance international security by improving relations with key
Muslim countries and communities. The strategy reflects the consensus of 34 American leaders, including 11 Muslim Americans,
in the fields of foreign and defense policy, politics, business, religion, education, public opinion, psychology, philanthropy, and
conflict resolution. We come from different walks of life, faiths, political perspectives, and professional disciplines. Our shared goal
is to develop and work to implement a wise, widely supportable strategy to make the U.S. and the world safer by responding to the
primary causes of tension between the U.S. and Muslims around the world. We believe that a strategy that builds on shared and
complementary interests with Muslims in many countries is feasible, desirable, and consistent with core American values.
The central message of our strategy is that the U.S. government, business, faith, education, and media leaders must work with
Muslim counterparts to build a coalition that will turn the tide against extremism. Our recommendations are directed primarily to
U.S. leaders and institutions, but we can succeed only if counterparts in Muslim majority countries and communities also take
responsibility for addressing key challenges: reducing extremism, resolving political and sectarian conflicts, holding governments
accountable, creating more vibrant economies, correcting misconceptions, and engaging in dialogue to build mutual respect and
understanding.
Recently, the U.S. government has taken important steps to expand the use of diplomacy, support improvements in governance,
and promote economic development in Muslim countries threatened by extremism. In the face of continuing extremist violence
directed at the U.S. and its allies, the next U.S. President and Congress must create and implement a more comprehensive
strategy for reversing extremism in key Muslim regions, countries, and communities. U.S. business, educational, philanthropic,
faith, and media organizations should help define and carry out many elements of that strategy.
The United States is not directly responsible for these conditions and frustrations, but many Muslims see the U.S. as complicit,
believing that it has supported ineffective and corrupt governments in their countries as a way to meet U.S. geopolitical and
economic interests. Their anger is compounded by their sense that the U.S. has favored Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians,
and has exercised a “double standard” on democracy, calling for democratic reforms in the Muslim world while continuing to
support repressive governments in allied Muslim countries. Since the invasion of Iraq, many Muslims have also come to believe
that the U.S. seeks to dominate Muslim countries by force. Efforts by the U.S. government, private leaders and organizations to
change these perceptions have had limited effect.
Efforts on each of these goals will be helpful, but coordinated action on all four goals, tailored to particular countries and regions,
offers the greatest potential for improvements in U.S. security and U.S.-Muslim relations. Following is a summary of our
recommendations for advancing each of the four goals.
1. Elevate diplomacy as the primary tool for resolving key conflicts involving Muslim countries, engaging both allies and
adversaries in dialogue
• Engage with Iran to explore the potential for agreements that could increase regional security, while seeking Iran’s full
compliance with its nuclear nonproliferation commitments
• Work intensively for immediate de-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a viable path to a two-state solution,
while ensuring the security of Israelis and Palestinians
• Promote broad-based political reconciliation in Iraq, and clarify the long-term U.S. role
• Renew international commitment and cooperation to halt extremists’ resurgence in Afghanistan and Pakistan
• Provide top-level U.S. leadership to resolve regional conflicts and to improve coordination with international partners
2. Support efforts to improve governance and promote civic participation in Muslim countries, and advocate for
principles rather than parties in their internal political contests
• Build the capacity of government institutions to deliver services, and of citizens to participate in governance
• Advocate consistently for nonviolence, pluralism and fairness in political contests
• Use U.S. leverage with authoritarian governments to promote reforms in governance
• Assess the value of engagement with political representatives of armed and activist movements case-by-case, based
on their principles, behavior, and level of public support
• Support political transitions and the consolidation of reforms in countries at critical “turning points”
3. Help catalyze job-creating growth in Muslim countries to benefit both the U.S. and Muslim countries’ economies
• Support policy reforms to secure property rights, facilitate transactions and promote investments
• Partner with governments, multilateral institutions and philanthropies to make education a more powerful engine of
employment and entrepreneurship
• Use public-private investment partnerships to reduce risk, promote exports and fund enterprises
• Use trade agreements to reward economic reform and spur investment
• Manage energy interdependence and diversify resources
4. Improve mutual respect and understanding between Americans and Muslims around the world
• Speak to the critical importance of improving relations with the global Muslim community in his 2009 inaugural address
• Take key actions immediately to demonstrate a commitment to improving relations, including:
- Immediately organizing a whole-of-government effort, with Presidential leadership, to define and implement a strategy
for improving relations with key Muslim countries and communities
- Immediately re-affirming the U.S. commitment to prohibit all forms of torture
• Within the first three months of the Administration, initiate a major and sustained diplomatic effort to resolve regional
conflicts and promote security cooperation in the Middle East, giving top priority to engagement with Iran and
permanent resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
• Within the first six months of the Administration, co-convene a business-government summit on economic reform,
growth, and job creation in the Middle East to accelerate current reform and investment initiatives
• Work with leaders in Congress, educational, cultural and philanthropic institutions in the U.S., and counterparts in
Muslim countries, to create and fund a global initiative for teaching, learning, and exchange among citizens in the U.S.
and Muslim countries
It will also be important for a wide range of private actors to coordinate their activities more closely, while maintaining their
separation from the government. To do so, we recommend that the new Administration and leading business, educational,
philanthropic, faith, and media organizations co-convene forums on U.S.-Muslim relations, and create new platforms for action,
making special efforts to involve Muslim-American leaders.
What Is at Stake
Immediate action is needed. Neither the U.S. nor Muslims in regions of conflict can afford a further deterioration in relations.
Extremist groups and movements have gained ground in many Muslim countries. Their appeal will grow unless the U.S. acts more
effectively to address the economic, political, and security concerns that extremists have exploited.
Implementing our recommendations will not eliminate the risk of terrorist attacks affecting the U.S. Yet given a broad, deep, and
sustained commitment, our proposed strategy will reshape U.S. relations with Muslim leaders and peoples in ways that improve
U.S. and international security, transform the spiral of fear and mistrust into a foundation of mutual confidence and respect, and
help create a more peaceful world.